EPA Orders Beltsville, Md. Grocery Store to Stop Selling Unregistered Pesticides (PA)
PHILADELPHIA (March, 2011)
– The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency issued a Stop Sale, Use or Removal Order on Jan.
21, 2011 to Kyung Ho Ock and Jin Mi Ock, Inc., the owner and
operator of the Jin Mi Oriental Market in Beltsville, Md. barring
the store from selling and distributing 14 different unregistered
pesticide products.
During an EPA inspection, 14 unregistered
pesticide products were found offered for sale at the grocery,
located at 10800 Rhode Island Ave. The labeling of each product
claimed or indicated that the product would repel or control
various insects, but none of the products were registered with EPA
as pesticides. The labeling for each product was mainly in Korean,
but each of the products indicated that it was to be used as a
pesticide either through English-language claims or through clearly
understood illustrations.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) is a federal law that requires the
registration of pesticide products and pesticide-production
facilities, and the proper labeling of pesticides. This requirement
protects public health and the environment by ensuring safe
production, handling, and application of pesticides and cleaners
and by preventing false, misleading, or unverifiable product
claims.
Registered pesticides are assigned unique EPA
registration numbers which are required to be shown on the product
label, enabling EPA to track the exact product involved in the
event of a complaint or other incident. As part of the registration
process, EPA imposes very specific labeling requirements for each
product, including statements of active ingredients, instructions
for proper use, and safety instructions and warnings.
This case is part of EPA efforts to curtail the
sale and distribution of unregistered pesticides that may pose
health risks to the public, and particularly children, due to
inadequate labeling and packaging. EPA is working with state and
local officials to stop the sale of unregistered pesticides and
cleaners and to warn communities of the hazards of such
products.
EPA’s order, which was signed on Jan. 21,
2011, requires the facility to immediately stop the sale and
distribution of the unregistered pesticides. Violation of the order
could result in penalties. The statutory maximum penalty under
FIFRA is up to $7,500 per violation.
For more information about EPA’s pesticide
program, visit
www.epa.gov/pesticides
You can also obtain EPA’s brochure:
Protect Your Business and Your Customers - Do
NOT Buy or Sell Illegal Pesticides! at http://www.epa.gov/region7/pesticides/pdf/pesticides_flier.pdf |