Contact Information: Ben Washburn, 913-551-7364, washburn.ben@epa.gov
(Kansas City, Kan., Oct. 1, 2012) – Bayer CropScience LP has agreed to pay a $13,900 civil penalty to the United States to settle a series of environmental violations related to the distribution of mis-branded pesticides through its facility in Kansas City, Mo.
According to an administrative consent agreement and final order filed by EPA Region 7 in Kansas City, Kan., an inspection of Bayer’s Kansas City facility in November 2011 found that on November 28, 2011, Bayer CropScience shipped a quantity of the pesticide Ethosumesate, without a product label, an EPA registration number, or an EPA producing establishment number.
In December 2011, EPA Region 7 received two Notices of Arrival from Bayer for the importation of two separate shipments due that month of quantities of unregistered Methomyl insecticide for the purpose of producing the product into the registered product Larvin Technical. The label provided by Bayer for the two shipments of the unregistered pesticide contained a false or misleading statement in its “Directions for Use” section.
The labeling deficiencies related to the two pesticides were in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), according to the settlement.
The sale or distribution of misbranded or mislabeled pesticides can pose serious risks to human health, plant and animal life, and the environment. Without proper labeling or safety instructions on packaging, users can unintentionally misapply pesticides and may not have adequate information to address needs for first aid in the event of emergency.
As a result of EPA’s enforcement action, Bayer CropScience LP was required to relabel all of the shipments in question. The company has also instituted changes in its practices to prevent similar violations.
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