American pesticide company PBI-Gordon fined for importing misbranded pesticide from Argentina

PBI-Gordon Corporation, a Kansas City, Mo., pesticide manufacturer, has agreed to pay a $6,000 civil penalty to the United States to settle allegations related to the importation of more than 147 tons of a misbranded pesticide from Argentina.

According to a consent agreement and final order filed in Kansas City, Kan., PBI-Gordon Corporation violated the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by importing a 294,880-pound shipment of the misbranded pesticide 2,4-D Acid to Kansas City in June 2009.

The shipment consisted of 152 bags of the pesticide, each containing 1,940 pounds of technical grade 2,4-D Acid, which the company uses to manufacture other pesticide products. Under FIFRA, the bags were considered to be misbranded because they did not have required labeling that must include directions for safe and proper use and handling.

"It is important that the most recent, up-to-date labels are used on all pesticide products so that people who process, package and use them have critical information at their fingertips regarding first aid, environmental hazards and directions for use,” said Karl Brooks, EPA Regional Administrator. "Companies that import pesticide products from foreign countries must be sure that those products comply with FIFRA, including the use of proper labeling.”

As part of the consent agreement, PBI-Gordon Corporation has certified that it is now in compliance with FIFRA and its regulations.

Designated as a herbicide, 2,4-D is used in many products to kill weeds, often in mixtures that contain other herbicides. It comes in several forms, including salts, esters and acids, according to the National Pesticide Information Center.