Virginia Store
Fined for Illegal Pesticide Sales
Care-A-Lot Inc. (Virginia Beach, Va.) in October agreed to pay
a $30,000 fine for violating federal pesticide law by selling
mislabeled and unregistered Advantage and Frontline anti-flea
products, according to published news reports.
The catalog company, which also sells via its Web site and
a retail store in Virginia Beach, admitted no wrongdoing in
its settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The agency in 2003 found the Advantage and Frontline products
Care-a-Lot was selling lacked correct labeling and warning
notices.
The settlement requires Care-A-Lot to pay a $30,000 penalty
in 10 installments. The company also certified that it now
is in full compliance with federal rules governing insecticides,
fungicides and rodenticides.
In 2004, the EPA distributed a fact sheet warning retailers
and distributors about counterfeit flea-control products.
The agency also directed merchants to remove the phony products
from their shelves or face potential enforcement action. In
March 2004, EPA issued stop-sale orders to 56 retailers and
distributors in seven states.
It is often difficult to tell the difference between the
fake and real products, the EPA acknowledged. Among the indications
the product may be counterfeit:
• Package inserts bearing directions for use may be missing,
or may be printed in a foreign language.
• The package may not contain the appropriate-size applicator
for the animal indicated on the carton.
• The product is not packaged in required child-resistant
packaging.
For additional information, visit www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/retailerfactsh.pdf
or www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/petproduct.htm. [January
2007 PET AGE]
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