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U.S. EPA settles for $57,200 with Imperial Valley firm over pesticide violations

Release Date: 09/27/2006
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815

LOS ANGELES - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined El Centro, Calif-based The Dune Company of Imperial Valley $57,200 for the alleged sale and distribution of pesticides with inadequate labels, in violation of federal pesticide law.

The EPA cited The Dune Company of Imperial Valley for failing to affix accurate labels to recyclable pesticide containers when repackaging the herbicide EPTAM 7-E. The outdated labels on the repackaged herbicide failed to include upgraded safety precautions and failed to properly identify where the product was repackaged.

“Producers of pesticides must ensure that their products carry the proper warnings and information on their product labels,” said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA’s Communities and Ecosystems Division director for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. “Selling pesticides without required updated labels may result in misuse of the pesticide, increasing risk to human health and the environment.”

The Dune Company of Imperial Valley was also cited for not maintaining registration of its pesticide producing establishment. Pesticide-producing companies are required to submit to the EPA information on the physical location of each establishment and the types and amounts of pesticides and devices produced and distributed at that establishment. The EPA uses pesticide reports to track pesticide production, their safe management and distribution.

The enforcement action was based on an inspection performed by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation in September 2005.

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act regulates the sale, distribution, and use of pesticides within the United States. 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 pursuant to federal law to ensure that the registered pesticide is labeled in accordance with Agency requirements.
For more information on pesticide regulation and enforcement, please visit the EPA’s website at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/fifra/index.html