Enforcement

Pesticides Imports Enforcement

The Label is the Law

EPA regulates the importation of pesticides into the United States, in accordance with Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), to ensure that only compliant products enter into the U.S. marketplace.  Illegal importation of noncompliant pesticide products can result in pesticide misuse, illegal residues on food crops, human injury or exposure, and environmental damage.

EPA enforces requirements under FIFRA that governs the distribution, sale and use of pesticides or devices. EPA takes enforcement actions to address the:

  • distribution or sale of unregistered pesticides,
  • registered pesticides whose composition differs from that submitted at registration, and
  • registered pesticides that are misbranded or adulterated.

Enforcement actions include:

  • denial of entry,
  • penalties for illegal distribution,
  • issuing a Stop Sale, Use or Removal Order SSURO prohibiting the person who owns, controls, or has custody of a violative pesticide or device from selling, using, or removing that product.

Recent enforcement actions: 

Company Description Violation Issued/Filed Date

Respondent Makhteshim Agan of North America, Inc., d/b/a ADAMA 

Shipment details:  Fluensulfone 480EC, a nematicide containing the active ingredient Fluensulfone, which has been assigned EPA Registration Number 66222-243. Fluensulfone 480EC was given the alternate brand name, “Nimitz.

Action taken: SSURO

EPA has reason to believe that the pesticide Fluensulfone 480EC (a/k/a "Nimitz") is misbranded as defined in section 2(q)(1)(F) of FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. § 136(q)(1)(F) and section 2(q)(1)(G) of FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. § 136(q)(1)(G)

April 2015

EMD Millipore Corporation

Shipment details:  34 EMD devices (see CAFO for listing of specific devices)

Action taken: Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) with $2,681,500 civil penalty

Failure to file Notice of Arrival (NOA), illegal production of misbranded pesticide, reporting violation

July 2013

Dow Chemical Company

Shipment details: 1,299,012 million pounds of antimicrobial pesticides. 

Action taken: CAFOs totaling $600,000 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

2012 and 2013

Ag Specialties, LLC

Shipment details: 1,062,240 pounds of “StrikeOut Extra”

Action taken: SSURO

Distribution of unregistered pesticide (cancelled)

April 2013

NuFarm Americas Inc

Shipment details: 15 units of 1,220 kg of “2,4-D BEE Technical”

Action Taken: SSURO

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

April and May 2013

NuFarm Americas Inc

Shipment details:  Eight different products (see CAFOs for specific details)

Action Taken: CAFOs with $194,300 total civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

2012 and 2013

Pioneer Hi-Bred

Shipment details: 740 metric tons of “Pioneer Brand Seed Products"

Action taken: CAFO with $34,000 civil penalty

Failure to file an Notice of Arrival (NOA)

February 2013

No Nosquito Inc

Shipment details: 554 kgs of “No Nosquito Wrist Bands”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

March 2013

Thor Specialties Inc

Shipment details: 0.5 kg of “Acticide EPW”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

March 2013

Private Citizen

Shipment details: 534 bags of “Tres Pasitos”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

April 2013

Marrama Bamba

Shipment details: 2,954 kgs of “SpriGone”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

October 2012

Degesch Corp

Shipment details: 7,581 kgs of “Degesch Fumi Strips”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

October 2012

Pennings Corp

Shipment details: 100 kg of “Jet 5”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

November 2012

Lanxess Corp

Shipment details: 25 kilogram canister of “Preventol IT 14”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

June 2012

Makhteshim Agan of North America (MANA)

Shipment details: Shipment of“Arrow 240 EC.” 

Action taken: CAFO with $15,000 civil penalty

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

April 2012

IRIS Technologies Int’l

Shipment details: 33 kg of “Myscoplasma”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

May 2012

Healthtex Distributors Inc.

Shipment details: Shipment of “Deer Brand Refined Camphor”

Action taken: CAFO with $4,570 civil penalty

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

June 2012

Clariant Corporation

Shipment details: 100 kg of “Sanitized T 2019”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

July 2012

Pain Away LLC

Shipment details: 110 kg of “Paraquat Dichloride” and 1 kg of “Glyphosate”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

October 2012

Weatherford International

Shipment details: 112,266 pounds of “DBNPA Technical.”

Action Taken: SSURO and CAFO with $15,000 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

June 2012

Sundale Hutterian Brethren Association

Shipment details: 2 separate shipments of 25 kgs of “Twinoxide”

Action taken:  Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

May and July 2012

El Mestizo Import

Shipment details: 4,010 kilograms of “Blue Touch Adhesive Trap"

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

July 2012

AMVAC Chemical Company

Shipment details: 4 shipments totaling 160,000 pounds of “Terraclor Flowable”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution  of unregistered pesticide

July 2012

Dadant & Sons

Shipment details: 19,888 pounds of “APGUARD”

Action Taken: CAFO with $15,000 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

July 2012

Dow AgroSciences

Shipment details: 120 pounds of “Togar Mar Herbicide”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

September 2012

Hendrickson Flying Services

Shipment details:  800 kilogram shipment of an unregistered pesticide

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

October 2012

Liphatech, Inc

Shipment details: 1-kg of “Rodilon Bloco Extrusado”

Action taken: Entry denied 

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

December 2012

Dow AgroScience LLC

Shipment details: 2 shipments consisting of three 10,000 kgs of “Goal Technical”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

April 2012

Cheminova, Inc.

Shipment details:  Shipment of “Proaxis Insecticide.”

Action taken: SSURO and CAFO with $7,500 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

May and June 2012

Hobby Lobby

Shipment details: 375 kg of “Bright Ideas Citronella Candle Torches”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

June 2012

Helm Agro US, Inc.

Shipment details: Shipment of “Glyphosate Acid Technical”

Action taken: SSURO and CAFO with $5,500 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

June 2012

Makhteshim Agan of North America (MANA)

Shipment details: 3 shipments of “Copper Oxychloride Technical”

Action taken: SSURO and CAFO with $21,500 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

June 2012

CMS Group d/b/a MT Trading

Shipment details: 100-kg of “Jumbo Z Mosquito”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

July 2012

Grup Imco Lumber

Shipment detail: Shipment of “Termite

Exterminator”

Action taken: Entry denied 

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

August 2012

Chemical Specialties

Shipment details: 20,000 kg of “Dazomet Technical”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide (cancelled)

November 2012

Rhodia, Inc.

Shipment details: Shipment of “Tolcide PS75.”

Action taken: CAFO with $3,900 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

September 2012

Virbac AH, Inc.

Shipment details: 3 shipments of “PetArmor Pro Advanced for Dogs”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

December 2012

Nisso America

Shipment details: 44 drums of “Tefbufenozide Technical.” 

Action taken; CAFO with $6,864 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide and failure to file an NOA

June 2012

Willowood USA

Shipment details: 640 drums of “Willowood Clethodin 2EC” 

Action taken: CAFO with $12,600 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

July 2012

Bayer CropScience

Shipment details: 126 totes of “Norton SC Herbicide”

Action taken: SSURO and CAFO with $3,000 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

July 2012

Home Products

Shipment details: Shipment of “Enoz Fly Catcher Strips.” 

Action taken: Notice of Warning

Failure to file an NOA

August 2012

Bayer CropScience LP  

Shipment details: 120 drums of “Ethodumesate” and 864 drums of “Methomyl”

Action taken: CAFO with $13,900 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

September 2012

Makhteshim Agan of North America (MANA)

Shipment details: 2,160 drums of “Technical Fomesafen”

Action taken: SSURO and CAFO with $15,000 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

January 2013

Pace International

Shipment details: Shipment of “Penbotec 400SC”

Action taken: CAFO with $6,000 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

May 2012

Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. (TKI)

Shipment details: 4,960 bags of “Linuron Technical” 

Action taken: SSURO

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

January 2013

Tacoma Ag Holdings, LLC

Shipment details: Shipment of “Dicamba Acid Technical”

Action taken: CAFO with $4,800 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

April 2013

AquaQuest

Shipment details: 0.5 kg of “BioBac (Bacillus Subtilis)”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

May 2012

Amvac Chemical Company

Shipment details: 5 kg of “Bistrifluron 10% EC”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

June 2012

Amvac Chemical Company

Shipment details: 15,000 kg of “Technical Bifenthrin”

Action taken: SSURO  

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

June 2013

Ortho McNiel/Janssen Pharm. Inc.

Shipment details: 2000 kg of “Penbotec Technical”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

July 2012

Vadim Sokyko

Shipment details: 45 kg of “Taktic EC Acaricidal Spray”

Action taken: Entry denied

Distribution of unregistered pesticide

July 2012

Ag Specialties, LLC

Shipment details: 215,700 kg of “StrikeOut Extra Tigrad OR”

Action taken: CAFO with $6,320 civil penalty

Distribution of misbranded pesticide

August 2012

Weatherford International Case: This imported pesticide product did not have an EPA approved label affixed to the containers. Proper labeling on a pesticide container with its accompanying instructions is a key requirement of pesticide regulation.

Willowood Case: The pesticide product’s accompanying product booklet was not attached to the immediate container as required under FIFRA (proper placement shown in right photo) Under FIFRA, “all label and all other written, printed, or graphic matter” must be securely attached to the pesticide container. (Resource: Pesticide Registration Label Review Manual: Chapter 3: General Labeling Requirements (PDF) (16 pp, 591K, About PDF))


This pesticide product was unregistered. Pesticides must be registered or exempted by EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs before they may be sold or distributed in the U.S.  (Resource: Pesticide Registration Label Review Manual: Chapter 13, Storage and Disposal (PDF) (56 pp, 1M, About PDF)