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Protect Your Business: Avoid Selling Illegal Pesticides - Chinese Version (2.66 mb, PDF)

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Counterfeit Pesticide Products for Dogs and Cats

Is your store selling illegal pesticides?
Did you know that if you sell or distribute pesticides, you must obey a federal law called the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA)? This means that in most cases, the pesticides you sell must be registered with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). You can find more information on pesticides, including descriptions of products which are exempt from registration from the "About Pesticides" area of this Web site.

What products are considered pesticides by EPA?
The legal definition of a pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. Many household products are pesticides and can include kitchen, laundry, and bath disinfectants and sanitizers. Products that kill mold and mildew are also considered pesticides.

How do I know if a pesticide is illegal?
Legal products are registered with the EPA and have on the label an EPA Registration Number (EPA Reg. No.) and an EPA Establishment Number (EPA Est. No.). The label also has instructions for the correct use and disposal of the product. These instructions must be in English. Additional languages on the instructions are allowed.

Why should I be concerned?
Not only is selling or distributing these products illegal, it may also put the public, especially children, at risk of being poisoned. In addition to the public health hazards, the sale and/or distribution of an unregistered pesticide may result in a civil penalty of up to $5,500 for each sale. EPA routinely issues fines to retail marketplaces selling illegal pesticides.

What should I do if I currently have illegal products?
Do not throw them away. Contact your local Hazardous Waste Collection Facility. There may be a fee for disposal, but there are often programs to help businesses who produce small quantities of hazardous waste. Ask about the possibility of this option when you contact your local facility.

Who can I contact if I have further questions about pesticides?
Questions should be directed by email to EPA's Pesticide Program.

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