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EPA fines Southern California businesses for failing to report pesticide production

Release Date: 9/18/2003
Contact Information: Wendy L. Chavez, (415) 947-4248

SAN FRANCISCO - -The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a settlement with four southern California businesses requiring the companies to pay fines totaling $18,700 for failing to submit their 2002 pesticide production reports on time, a violation of the federal pesticide law.

Mission Laboratories of Los Angeles, Pentair Aquatics of El Monte, and U.S. Lubricants of Montclair were each fined $4,400. Due to its repeated violations, Aquatronics of Oxnard was fined $5,500.

"Failing to report the production of pesticides in a timely manner, although seemingly harmless, is a serious violation," said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA's Cross Media Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. "These reporting requirements are instrumental in maximizing EPA's capacity to target inspections and to ensure safe management and distribution of these pesticides."

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, companies must annually report pesticide production to the EPA by March 1. Production records provide information on on the quantities of pesticides produced and distributed.
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