EPA orders Amazon to halt illegal pesticides sales
This action adds 70 products to a June 6, 2020 EPA order which contained over 30 illegal products.
“Unregistered pesticides in the e-commerce marketplace pose a significant and immediate health risk to consumers, children, pets, and others exposed to the products,” says Ed Kowalski, director of the Enforcement Compliance Assurance Division in EPA's Region 10 office in Seattle.
This is the third pesticide stop-sale order issued by the agency to Amazon in the last three years. Beyond the stop-sales EPA has mounted other efforts to stop fraudulent products, such as partnering with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to stop multiple imports of millions of illegal disinfectant products imported by or for sale on Amazon. EPA has also provided guidance to e-commerce companies on multiple occasions about their requirements to ensure their disinfectant products are legal and safe.
The agency advises consumers who have purchased an unregistered pesticide product or a misbranded pesticidal device to safely dispose of it in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. This is especially important for consumers seeking to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. EPA recommends that consumers only purchase products on EPA's “List N of Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19).” EPA expects all products on this list to kill the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) when used according to the label directions.
Under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, pesticides and disinfectants intended for sale in the U.S. must be evaluated for safety and efficacy by EPA and bear approved labeling with an EPA registration number (e.g. “EPA Reg. No. 1234-56”) and an EPA establishment number (e.g., “EPA Est. No. 12345-AA-1” (domestic) or “EPA Est. No. 12345-AAA1” (foreign)). In contrast, pesticidal devices must bear an EPA establishment number and conform to certain other requirements, but they are not evaluated for safety and efficacy by EPA before marketing.
U.S. EPA Acts to Protect the Public from Unregistered “Virus Shut Out” Product Imported into Honolulu and Guam
Unsubstantiated claims to protect against viruses threaten public health
EPA has been working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to deny entry to the illegal product, which is being imported from Japan and Hong Kong through U.S. ports in Honolulu and Guam. EPA and CBP will continue monitoring for products with illegal pesticidal claims. In addition, EPA has reached out to Amazon to remove the product from their online marketplace. Amazon has taken this step.
"It is critical that people only use EPA-registered disinfectants and follow label directions for proper use," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator John Busterud. "EPA will not tolerate companies selling illegal disinfectants and making false or misleading public health claims during this pandemic crisis."
Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, products that claim to kill or repel bacteria or germs are considered pesticides and must be registered with the EPA prior to distribution or sale. Public health claims can only be made regarding products that have been properly tested and are registered with the EPA. The agency will not register a pesticide until it has been determined that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to the label directions. Products not registered by EPA can be harmful to human health, cause adverse effects, and may not be effective against the spread of germs.
EPA has released an expanded list of EPA-registered disinfectant products that have qualified for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The list contains nearly 300 additional products—including products that went through the expedited review process for emerging viral pathogens.
To view the most up-to-date list of EPA-registered disinfectant products, visit https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
For more information on EPA resources on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19): https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus
For more information on pesticides, please visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides
Learn more about EPA's Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter.
Contact Information:
Alejandro Diaz (diaz.alejandro@epa.gov)
808-284-7084
Find the original press release from the U.S.EPA here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/us-epa-acts-protect-public-unregistered-virus-shut-out-product-imported-honolulu-and
Register for the U.S. EPA Webinar: It Takes an Integrated Pest Management Village - IPM for a Healthier Home and Community
Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Time: 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PT), Followed by a live Q&A session
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Featured speakers:
• Dion Lerman, MPH, Associate Certified Entomologist / Healthy Homes Specialist, Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management Program
• Thomas Green, Ph.D., CCA, TSP, President, IPM Institute of North America Inc.
U.S. EPA School IPM webpage: https://www.epa.gov/managing-pests-schools
