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U.S. EPA fines Los Angeles company for selling unregistered pesticides

Release Date: 10/7/2004
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815

SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today fined Los Angeles-based Vernon Sales Inc. $4,400 for allegedly selling unregistered pesticides in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

The EPA cited the company for allegedly selling or distributing Limon Lysol Antibacterial, Pino Lysol Antibacterial, De La Nines Lysol Antibacterial and Lavanda Lysol Antibacterial, without EPA registration numbers.

The civil complaint was based on an inspection conducted by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation.

"Companies must register their pesticides with the EPA," said Enrique Manzanilla, director of EPA's Cross Media Division. "Without EPA registration, we have no information on the effects of the products, which could result in harm to public health and the environment."

Federal law requires that before selling or distributing a pesticide in the United States, companies must register the pesticide with the EPA. Pesticides that have been registered with the agency will have an EPA registration number on the label. Each producer, seller, and distributor has certain obligations to ensure that the pesticide being produced, distributed, or sold is properly registered and labeled.

Before registering a new pesticide or approving a new use for a registered pesticide, the EPA must first ensure that the pesticide, when used according to label directions, can be used without posing unreasonable risks to people or the environment. The agency also ensures that pesticide labels provide consumers with the information they need to use the products safely.

To assist the public and regulated community, EPA and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation provide Internet access to registration information on approximately 90,000 products. The U.S. EPA/OPP Pesticide Products Database Query can be accessed through the California Department of Pesticide Regulation at http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/epa/m2.htm.