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Connecticut Firm Fined for Pesticide Labeling Violations

Release Date: 11/14/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan - (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. - Nov. 14, 2006) - A Glastonbury pesticide manufacturer, BioSafe Systems L.L.C., will pay a $17,250 penalty in a settlement resolving EPA concerns that it marketed two pesticide products for an unapproved use in floor mats.

The violations relate to marketing claims BioSafe made about two of its own EPA-registered pesticide products (“ZeroTol” and “OxiDate”). EPA’s New England regional office alleged that the products contained claims which were substantially different from statements approved by EPA for the product labels during the rigorous EPA registration process under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, or “FIFRA.” EPA New England alleged that BioSafe distributed or sold these pesticides for use in floor mats and, in particular, in a BioSafe product known as the “BioMat.”

The two products each contain 27 percent hydrogen dioxide as the active ingredient. Although BioSafe product literature called for using a dilute solution in the BioMat, at full strength, these pesticides are corrosive and can present serious risks of permanent damage to the eyes, skin, digestive system or respiratory tract if proper application procedures are not followed.

Since the violations were first discovered, BioSafe has worked effectively with EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs in Washington, D.C. to ensure that these pesticides can now be used in floor mats.

In order to ensure that pesticides used in the U.S. are not likely to cause unreasonable harm to human health or the environment, EPA performs a rigorous science-based assessment of pesticide products before they are allowed to be distributed or sold. Under that process, pesticides and their product labeling are approved for use in the U.S. once properly registered by EPA.

The settlement with BioSafe is contained in a “Consent Agreement and Final Order” resolving the FIFRA violations without any admission of liability by BioSafe.

More information on pesticides enforcement in New England (https://www.epa.gov/region1/enforcement/pesticides/index.html)

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