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Billerica, Mass. Pesticide Importer/Manufacturer Faces Fines for Reporting Violations

Release Date: 10/14/2010
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – Oct. 14, 2010) – A Massachusetts company that produces and imports pesticides and pesticide devices faces proposed penalties for importing these products for distribution or sale without submitting the required forms to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in violation of federal environmental law.

In a complaint filed recently, EPA’s New England office alleges that Millipore Corp. of Billerica imported unregistered pesticides (chlorine tablets) for distribution or sale on numerous occasions without submitting the Notice of Arrival forms required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, known as FIFRA.

According to the complaint, Millipore also imported pesticide devices (water purification devices) on numerous occasions without submitting the required Notice of Arrival forms. EPA’s complaint alleges that these FIFRA violations occurred from Sept. 2005 to Oct. 2008 and seeks a penalty of up to $6,500 for each violation.

Under FIFRA, all pesticides used and sold in the U.S. are required to undergo a rigorous, science-based review process to ensure that they can be used safely and do not pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment. Importers of pesticide products must provide data to EPA regarding pesticides or devices that may be entering the U.S. prior to their import.

The Notice of Arrival forms provide important information to EPA regarding pesticides and pesticide devices entering the country including, for example, the major active ingredients, quantities, countries of origin, identity of producing establishments, carriers, ports of entry, and contact information.

More information:
 
- Enforcing pesticide requirements in New England (https://www.epa.gov/region1/enforcement/pesticides/index.html)

- General information on EPA regulation of pesticides (https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/index.htm)

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