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EPA settles with pet products company for illegally selling, distributing pesticides to Tempe retailer

Release Date: 10/15/2009
Contact Information: Margot Perez-Sullivan, 415.947.4149 Perezsullivan.margot@epa.gov

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently fined Exotic Nutrition Pet Company, a distributor of pet products, to resolve the alleged sale and distribution of the unregistered pesticide Exotic Nutrition Kage-Care.

Virginia-based Exotic Nutrition Pet Company sold the unregistered pesticide Exotic Nutrition Kage-Care to Tempe, Ariz., retailer, Pets, Inc. -- a violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

“Selling unregistered pesticides is a significant violation that can result in harm to public health and the environment” said Katherine Taylor, associate director of the EPA’s Community and Ecosystems Division for the Pacific Southwest Region. “Companies must register pesticides with the EPA before distributing and selling such products.”

Exotic Nutrition Kage-Care is used as a virucide, fungicide and disinfectant for pet cages.

The EPA recommends that consumers pay careful attention to pesticides they use in and around their homes.

The agency will not register a pesticide until it has been tested to show that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to directions. The EPA also makes sure that pesticide labels provide consumers with necessary information to use the products safely. Pesticides that have been registered with the agency will have an EPA registration number on the label.

The Arizona Department of Agriculture discovered the violations during an inspection. .

The EPA regulates the manufacture, import, sale and use of pesticides. Distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring that all pesticides distributed and/or sold fully comply with federal pesticide regulations.

For more information on pesticide regulation and enforcement, please visit:
Regulating Pesticides at https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/index.htm or
Compliance and Enforcement at https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/enforcement/index.htm