Store Chain Fined for Violating Environmental Pest Control Laws

A California-based discount store chain, 99 cents only, was fined more than US$ 400, 000 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for selling unregistered pesticides in household products. The store chain also had to pay penalties for having misbranded labelling on their pesticide products and labelling that was not according to the standards of the environmental pest control regulations as specified in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). FIFRA had reported 166 violations on the part of the large discount store chain.

The violation was first brought to the notice of California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) authorities in September 2004, when an inspector observed a product in the store, having labels, which claimed that it prevented molds, fungus and bacteria. However, this product was not registered with the EPA, which is an environmental pest control requirement. Subsequent violations were found in more products, which had defective labels.

The violations were to the FIFRA environmental pesticide laws "prohibiting the sale and distribution of an unregistered pesticide" and also a "misbranded" pesticide. The size of the enterprise was also taken into consideration during deciding the penalty amount, so that the fine would act as future deterrence to other companies who may think twice about flouting environmental pest control laws.

Over the years, there has been recognition of the harmful effects of the use of chemical pesticides at homes, workplaces, parks and in agriculture. There has been a move by many governments to move towards a more careful approach to insecticide and pesticide use, so that negative effects to the environment, including human health, the food chain and animals are taken into consideration. This has led to practices such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

If a pesticide sold is unregistered by the EPA, then its constituents are unknown and unverified. As a result, its environmental impact is also unknown. This is the case when there is defective labelling. To protect consumers against untested and non-standard pesticides, the EPA has taken a step in the right direction.

Environmental Effects of Chemical Pest Extermination
Chemical pesticides, in use for many decades, were originally thought to be a boon to the agriculture sector. Pest extermination through the use of chemical pesticides made greater food security possible in countries with huge populations. Food production increased significantly due to the use of chemical pesticides to exterminate crop pests. India's Green Revolution is a case in point.

However, it was slowly realised that the indiscriminate use of chemical pest extermination technologies had negative effects of the environment. Some common pesticides caused cancer, hormone problems and other diseases in human beings. A pregnant mother also passed on the effects to the unborn foetus. Foetal abnormalities have been reported due to some pesticides. The toxic nature of these chemicals caused damage to human health directly or indirectly. Farmers who directly handled the chemical pesticides were affected more severely. Consumers who ate produce, which had been sprayed with the toxic chemicals, developed diseases after some years. Ground water also became contaminated through the use of chemical pesticides. Some have been found to be toxic to birds, fish and earthworms.

Some harmful chemical pesticides include Malathion and Bifenthrin.

Environmental Pesticide Control and Commercial Pest Control Services
In order to reduce the negative effects of the use of pesticides in agriculture and at homes, it was felt that regulations were needed. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques factoring the effect to the environment due to pesticides are being encouraged. In IPM, information regarding pest's life cycles is combined with appropriate, reduced use of pesticides to create a system where the impact on environments, whether homes of farms, is minimal. Commercial pest control services should best follow IPM and environmental pest control techniques.

The EPA has pesticide regulations, which enforce IPM and environmental pesticide control. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, (FIFRA) oversees the pesticide product industry by regulating the selling and distribution of pesticide products in the United States. The Act also controls the methods of use of pesticides.

The FIFRA was amended by the Federal Environment Pesticide Control Act (FEPCA) and latest in 1996 by the Food Quality Act, which provided regulations for integrated pest management.

Some features of FIFRA Environmental Pesticide Control include:

• Ban on sale or distribution of unregistered pesticides. The labels must also be approved.
• Pesticides resulting in "unreasonable adverse effects" on people including the environment may be banned.
• Pesticides are classified as "general" or "restricted". Only certified pest control personnel can use restricted pesticides.

Commercial Pest Control Services must abide by FIFRA regulations or face penalties for violations.

House Pest Control
Before calling the help of pest extermination experts for house pest control, do check if the service provider is a registered or certified applicator. This can ensure that environmentally safe pesticides are used which are not hazardous to the health of the inmates of the house, including pets.

The EPA recommends some guidelines for American residents on house pest control which include:

• Check the labels of the pesticide and make sure it is EPA registered.
• When selecting commercial pest control services, make sure their license is current.
• Check for non-chemical pest control alternatives.
• Keep the pesticides on high shelves, out of reach of children.
• The warning words - caution, warning or danger indicate the toxicity of the pesticide, with danger being the most toxic.

Following environmental pest control guidelines can help in keeping the human health, immediate environment, animals and food at less risk from negative effects of chemical pesticides.