EPA warns of banned pesticide in product used to kill ants

Date:03-22-2011

If you shop online for pest control supplies, beware of a product called Fast Ant Bait.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Monday that the product, used to kill ants, contains a banned pesticide that can cause liver and nerve damage.

EPA warned 2,800 customers who purchased Fast Ant Bait online through sites like eBay about the possible health dangers of the product, which is manufactured in China.

Fastpestcontrol.com, the site selling the product, no longer sells the Fast Ant Bait — eBay and other sites, at EPA’s request, have stopped processing orders for the product.

“Illegal pesticides are often much more toxic than approved pesticides,” Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a statement. “When EPA takes a pesticide off the market, it means that pesticide was not safe. Consumers should use only EPA-registered pesticides and always follow the label directions to ensure their safety.”