EPA Settles with Syngenta Crop Protection
"The repackaging, sale, and distribution of unregistered and misbranded pesticides is illegal and puts people and the environment at risk," said Anne Heard, acting regional administrator for the Southeast. "Users rely on accurate, up-to-date information about ingredients, directions for use, hazards, and safety precautions. This settlement sends a strong message to pesticide companies to maintain compliance with all federal environmental laws."
EPA announced a multi-region settlement with Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC in Greensboro, N.C., for the company's alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. It calls for Syngenta to pay $766,508 in civil penalties and spend $436,990 to perform a Supplemental Environmental Project.
"The repackaging, sale, and distribution of unregistered and misbranded pesticides is illegal and puts people and the environment at risk," said Anne Heard, acting regional administrator for the Southeast. "Users rely on accurate, up-to-date information about ingredients, directions for use, hazards, and safety precautions. This settlement sends a strong message to pesticide companies to maintain compliance with all federal environmental laws."
An investigation was conducted by EPA Regions 4, 5, 7, and 8 that began in August 2012 and ended in January 2015. EPA determined that Syngenta distributed and/or sold numerous pesticide products to refillers before having written repackaging agreements with the refillers and failed to maintain records of the repackaging agreements as required by the Pesticide Management and Disposal rule. According to EPA, Syngenta also violated FIFRA by selling and distributing misbranded pesticides, with many labels affixed to the pesticide products and/or containers being either outdated or not in conformance with the EPA accepted label. Some of the misbranded labels were of pesticides that were classified as restricted use.
Syngenta also did not maintain records of study data submitted to the EPA for pesticide registration, according to the agency, which reported that Syngenta has agreed to implement an environmental compliance promotion SEP that will involve a four-year educational awareness training and campaign to educate the regulated community on FIFRA regulatory compliance requirements. The training will focus on the requirements relevant to bulk pesticide containers, containment, labels, storage, transportation, delivery, clean-out, repackaging agreements, and recordkeeping.
The Consent Agreement and Final Order was filed Sept. 15 at EPA's regional office in Atlanta. Syngenta must pay the penalty to the U.S. Department of Treasury within 30 days.