The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached an agreement with Atlantic Paste and Glue Co., Inc., of Brooklyn, New York, for violations of federal regulations governing pesticides. The company, which wholesales chemicals and related products, sold misbranded insect traps and imported the traps into the U.S. without properly notifying the EPA. The company will pay a $36,774 penalty and come into compliance with federal pesticide law.
"The sale of illegal pesticides puts the health and safety of our communities at risk," said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. "Wholesalers have a responsibility to make sure the pesticide products they sell have the required labels, and to make sure the EPA is notified when pesticides are imported. I encourage all wholesalers to check their shelves to make sure they are not endangering their customers by selling illegal pesticides."
Some pesticides have been linked to various forms of illnesses in people, ranging from skin and eye irritation to cancer. They may also affect the hormone or endocrine systems. In many situations, there are non-chemical methods that will effectively control pests.
Before a pesticide product is registered, the producer of the product must provide data from tests conducted according to EPA guidelines to ensure that the product will not be harmful to people's health or natural resources. The EPA examines the ingredients and the way in which the product will be used and assesses a wide variety of potential human health and environmental effects associated with its use. Distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring that all pesticides distributed and sold fully comply with the law.
During a 2012 investigation, the EPA discovered Atlantic had violated two provisions of federal pesticide law. Atlantic was selling the "Catchmaster Bug and Fly Clear Window Trap," which Atlantic was importing from China without first properly notifying the EPA. Atlantic was also selling the "Catchmaster Giant Fly Trap," although its packaging did not contain its manufacturer's registration number. Under federal pesticide law, a pesticide is misbranded if its packaging does not contain the registration number for each establishment in which it was produced.
