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DEQ confiscates misbranded pesticides
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Posted on Mar 09 2006
The Division of Environmental Quality has recently confiscated a large number of “misbranded” pesticides from a local hardware store.
DEQ public information officer Reina Camacho said through a media release yesterday that the division had just served a compliance order to the local hardware store she did not name, for the importation of misbranded pesticides.
Camacho said the CNMI Division of Quarantine intercepted the hardware’s shipment of fifty-five aerosol spray bottles of pesticides this week but then was later confiscated by the DEQ.
“The CNMI pesticides regulation, section 5.1.1, makes it unlawful for any person within the CNMI to import, sell, or use any pesticide that is adulterated or misbranded,” said Camacho, adding that under both the law of the CNMI and federal law, a misbranded pesticide is any pesticide lacking instructions in the English language or an EPA registration number.
She said these requirements are designed to safeguard human health and the environment by prohibiting the entry of dangerous pesticides into the CNMI.
The DEQ previously advised the hardware company of the illegal actions, but despite prior notifications by DEQ, she said, the hardware store had not taken any action to address the violations.
DEQ is authorized to assess fines up to $25,000 per day for each pesticide violation when such violation is incurred.
The DEQ is implementing regulatory programs that prohibit the release of harmful substances, including pesticides, petroleum products and other hazardous chemicals, into the environment and prohibit the storage of such substances in a manner that threatens groundwater.
For more information on pesticide regulation, call the DEQ office at 664-8500.
