U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has filed a consent agreement and final order with Target Corp., on alleged violations of federal rules on the labeling, distribution and sale of pesticide products. A $40,950 penalty has been assessed against the company as part of the settlement.
According to EPA, Target sold and distributed unregistered pesticides from its stores and on its Web site. The products are Antimicrobial Toilet Seats, three sizes of Home Ultimate Mattress Pads, Home Ultimate Pillows and Cleaner With Bleach. The toilet seats, mattress pads and pillows made "germ-killing" claims. The Cleaner With Bleach compared the product's properties to a similar, registered disinfectant bathroom cleaner sold by a competitor. An inspector found the violations in April. Target is removing the pesticidal claims from these products.
EPA registers all pesticides and pesticide products under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. Pesticides include disinfectants and antimicrobial and antibacterial products.
EPA's Region 5 Pesticide Program operates within the context of the overall Regional Office structure. Region 5's particular areas of emphasis includes:
- Providing support and technical assistance for pesticide effects on human and ecological health;
- Reducing risk to human health and the environment from exposure to priority Persistent Bioaccumulative and Toxic (PBT) chemicals;
- Providing support and technical assistance to Agriculture;
- Promoting the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program;
- Promoting Integrated Pest Management (IPM), a safer, and usually less costly option for effective pest management.;
- Supporting the Urban Initiative - to stop the illegal sales/distribution of unregistered pesticides; prevent the diversion of agricultural pesticides illegally into urban arenas;
- Promoting the implementation of the Worker Protection Standard Rule by agricultural employers on farms, forests, nurseries, and greenhouses.
Source: EPA
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