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U.S. EPA settles case against three companies for pesticide violations

Release Date: 6/28/2005
Contact Information: Lisa Fasano, (415) 947-4307

     SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today fined two Fresno, Calif. companies and one German company $17,248 for the alleged sale and distribution of a misbranded pesticide in violation of federal pesticide regulations.
                                     
     The EPA cited the two Fresno firms, Creative Marketing & Research, Lawn and Garden Products, Inc., as well as the German owner and registrant of the pesticide product, W. Neudorff GMBH KG, for selling and distributing a pesticide product known as QUIK-RTU, a lawn herbicide, without all required information on its label.
 
     "Federal law requires that pesticide labels carry all proper use and warning instructions," said Enrique Manzanilla, director of the EPA's Communities and Ecosystems Division.  "Consumers need the proper use information to ensure they are applying pesticide products safely and correctly."

     The three companies failed to provide the application rate for QUIK-RTU on the pesticide's label, thus failing to provide all directions necessary to protect health and the environment.  As part of the settlement, the three companies have agreed to add the missing information to the labels for all future sales and distribution of the pesticide.

    The case was based on information obtained during an inspection at a North Las Vegas, Nev. pesticide retailer by the Nevada Department of Agriculture in March 2004 and a follow-up inspection at Creative Marketing & Research by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

      Before selling or distributing any pesticide in the United States, companies must register the pesticide with the EPA.  Each producer, seller, and distributor is required to ensure that the registered pesticide is labeled with an EPA registration number and information concerning the producer and brand name, as well as directions for use and other information necessary to protect consumers and the environment.

     For more information on pesticide regulation and enforcement, please visit EPA's Web page at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/fifra/index.html     
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