CHICAGO (July 29, 2004) — U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency Region 5 recently reached agreement with Greener Pastures
Development Corp., Oakdale, Minn. Under the agreement, the company
will pay a $25,000 penalty for illegally selling and distributing
four unregistered pesticides; two for use in controlling algae
in ponds and two for killing weeds in lawns.
EPA ordered Greener Pastures to stop selling, distributing or using all unregistered
pesticides, including but not limited to “Tiger-by-the-Tail,” “Nature’s
Weed & Feed 7-0-7,” “Nature’s Weed Control for Ponds,” and “Clarify.” In
addition to the fine and stop-sale order, Greener Pastures must remove all pesticidal
claims from its Web sites, advertising, labeling or other communications.
EPA worked closely with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
(MDA), the state’s lead agency for pesticide enforcement.
MDA performed inspections and provided testimony in support of
EPA’s action. The collaboration between the state and federal
agencies was instrumental in reaching this agreement.
According to Karl Bremer, chief of EPA Region 5's pesticides and
toxics branch, “Consumers should make sure that any product
with pesticidal claims is registered with EPA. Only then can they
be certain that the product will not cause adverse effects on the
environment or people.”
EPA registers all pesticides and pesticide products under the
federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Except for
certain limited exceptions, no pesticide may be legally sold or
used in the United States unless its label has an EPA registration
number. It is also unlawful to use any registered pesticides in
a manner other than that indicated on the product label.
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