Oregon agrees to pay $54,000 for using outdated labeling on pesticide products

Date:07-15-2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a $54,080 settlement with Orcal, Inc., for numerous violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

The settlement follows an Oregon Department of Agriculture inspection of Orcal’s Harrisburg, Oregon facility on February 4, 2009. EPA’s subsequent investigation found that Orcal was using outdated labeling on at least two products they produced. The outdated labeling included directions for use that did not match EPA accepted statements. On at least 52 separate occasions in 2008-2009, Orcal sold, and distributed Orcal Slug & Snail Bait and Southern Ag Snail & Slug Bait with incorrect labeling.

On September 29, 2009, EPA immediately issued a Stop-Sale Order on the products and helped bring the company into compliance.

According to Scott Downey, manager of EPA's pesticide unit in the Seattle office, pesticides must be properly labeled to ensure protection of human health and the environment.

"EPA is very concerned with ensuring that labeling in the marketplace matches language accepted by EPA in their label review process,” said EPA’s Downey. “When registrants do not keep their labels up-to-date it undermines the efforts EPA takes to ensure public safety.”