Release Date: 08/27/2013

Contact Information: Dawn Harris Young, (404) 562-8421 (Direct), (404) 562-8400 (Main), harris-young.dawn@epa.gov

ATLANTA – Family Dollar, Inc., headquartered in Matthews, NC, has paid a $602,438 civil penalty to the United States to resolve alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) for misbranded pesticides.

The penalty stems from the sale or distribution of two misbranded or mislabeled antimicrobial bleach products on numerous occasions. The labels for the bleach products were not identical to the EPA approved label. Labels must be identical to the EPA approved label and may not have any additions or omit any label language as required by FIFRA. 

Misbranded pesticides can pose serious risks to human health 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, Family Dollar, Inc., alerted its suppliers about the labeling issues and took steps to bring these products into compliance with FIFRA.

Unmentioned in this news release is whether or not the misbranded pesticides were subject to a recall.  If they were, Family Dollar would have to face the additional burden of disposing of the recalled pesticides as a hazardous waste under the regulations of the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA); enforced by USEPA and authorized states.  However, if certain conditions are met – read:  What is a Universal Waste Pesticide? – the recalled pesticides may be managed as a universal waste per 40 CFR 273 and therefore not subject to the much heavier regulatory burden of the hazardous waste regulations.  Contact me with any questions you may have about universal waste, used oil, or hazardous waste.