News Releases from Region 03

EPA Issues Stop-Sale Order to PuriCore, Inc. To Protect Public from Unregistered Pesticide in Supermarkets

PHILADELPHIA (July 18, 2016) – PuriCore Inc. of Malvern, Pa. has paid a $550,000 penalty for the unauthorized distribution of two pesticide products that were used in supermarkets nationwide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

The products included ProduceFresh, an unregistered pesticide used as part of a crisping process in the produce section of stores, and FloraFresh that was used in floral departments.

Along with the penalty, EPA issued a stop-sale order to PuriCore Inc. prohibiting the sale of ProduceFresh.  

The order and penalty were issued under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the federal statute regulating the manufacture, labeling, sale, and use of pesticide products. FIFRA's safeguards protect public health and the environment by ensuring the safe production and handling of pesticides and devices; and by preventing false, misleading, or unverifiable product claims.

Although PuriCore has submitted an application to EPA to register ProduceFresh as a pesticide, EPA has not completed its review of the risks associated with the product.  No stop-order was issued for FloraFresh because it was registered as a pesticide as of Feb. 12.  However, PuriCore had been distributing FloraFresh to supermarkets for at a least a year prior to it being registered.

For more information about EPA’s pesticide program, visit www.epa.gov/pesticides .

# # #