News Releases from Region 09

U.S. EPA and Customs joint operations at Southern California ports result in fines and seizure of illegal engines and pesticides

LOS ANGELES — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced $217,998 in fines and more than 5,325 items seized or denied entry to the United States. These are the latest results of continued joint operations at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach targeting foreign-made engines, including scooters, ATVs, chainsaws and construction equipment without proper emission controls, as well as pesticides that violate federal law.

“EPA and Customs have been working closely together to ensure imported engines meet air quality requirements,” said Alexis Strauss, EPA’s Acting Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “The enforcement cases announced today will prevent more than 1.5 million pounds of harmful air pollutants from being emitted into our air annually.”

Under the joint initiative, EPA has been conducting regular inspections with CBP at California ports of entry since 2014. With more than 40 percent of containerized goods coming into the U.S. through Los Angeles and Long Beach, the focus has been on engines, vehicles and pesticides. Mobile sources, such as on-road and off-road vehicles, are one the largest sources of air pollution in California and account for approximately 20% of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter up to 2.5 microns in diameter) and 83% of nitrogen oxide emissions.

Watch a new 4-minute video about EPA’s work at the ports, including a deeper look on how inspections, including laboratory testing, are conducted: https://youtu.be/QjNR2eDeTSw

Several companies were found to have imported vehicles and engines without certification or proper emissions controls. Engines operating without adequate controls emit excess carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which can cause respiratory illnesses, aggravate asthma and lead to the formation of ground level ozone or smog. These inspections also targeted companies attempting to import unregistered or improperly labeled pesticides. Pesticide labels contain critical safety information that help prevent harm to human health and the environment.

In total, from December 2015 through December 2016, 17 companies paid $202,998 in civil penalties for federal Clean Air Act violations:

• Yamagin Tsusho Company Limited: imported six mini-trucks from Japan. The mini-trucks did not have the proper certificates for their evaporative emissions components, such as fuel tanks and fuel hoses, and lacked the proper certificates for their catalytic converters. The company was required to ship the mini-trucks out of the United States and pay a $65,000 penalty. 

• Pacific Rim International West Inc.: imported 104 all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) from China that contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the ATVs out of the United States and pay a $30,000 penalty.

• Vitacci Motorcycles Inc: imported 457 ATVs from China. The ATVs contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the ATV’s out of the United States and pay an $18,000 penalty.

• Ming’s International Inc.: imported 1,105 2-stroke spark ignition engines from China without the proper certification requirements. The company was required to ship the engines out of the United States and pay a $13,898 penalty.

• Xcalibur Inc: imported 148 motorcycles from Taiwan. The motorcycles contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the motorcycles out of the United States and pay a $13,300 penalty.

• De Well Logistics, LLC: imported 1,060 uncertified chainsaw, mower, and outboard engines from China without the proper labels or certificates. The company was required to ship the engines out of the United States and pay a $10,100 penalty.

• JMC Motors LLC: imported 12 ATVs from China without the proper certification requirements and containing catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the ATVs out of the United States and pay an $8,800 penalty.

• Value Group (SSR Motorsports): imported 108 scooters from China, that contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the scooters out of the United States and pay an $8,400 penalty. 

• Lil Pick Up, Inc.: imported 1,051 ATVs in 13 separate shipments from China, that lacked the proper certification requirements. The company was required to ship the ATVs out of the United States and pay a $7,000 penalty. 

• Spira4U Co. Ltd.: imported 10 motorcycles from China. The motorcycles contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the motorcycles out of the United States and pay a $6,500 penalty.

• Stark International Inc.: imported 500 generators from China, that contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the generators out of the United States and pay a $5,000 penalty.

• CMT USA Industrial, Inc.: imported 252 types of construction equipment with uncertified nonadjustable carburetors or fuel tanks, in numerous shipments from China. The company was required to ship the equipment out of the United States and pay a $4,400 penalty. 

• Innovative Energy Solutions Corporation: imported 78 gasoline generators from China without the proper certificates for evaporative emissions components such as fuel tanks and fuel hoses. The company was required to ship the generators out of the United States and pay a $4,200 penalty. 

• Scooter Importer LLC: imported 48 scooters from China, that contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the scooters out of the United States and pay a $2,700 penalty. 

• Ridgerock Tools, Inc.: imported 100 generators from China, that contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the generators out of the United States and pay a $2,100 penalty.

• Rajysan, Inc.: imported 50 generators from China, that contained catalysts not matching their description in the import application. The company was required to ship the generators out of the United States and pay a $2,000 penalty.

• Teng Chang Inc.: imported 20 marine engines from China, that contained spark-ignitions without proper labels or valid certificates. The company was required to ship the engines out of the United States and pay a $1,600 penalty.

EPA and CBP also prevented 15 shipments of pesticides from entering the country and brought a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act enforcement action against:

• Dow AgroSciences LLC: imported 216 bags of the pesticide Glyphosate Technical FH from China. The pesticide, used to kill weeds, was produced in a facility in China, not in a U.S. facility as described by the company. The company fixed the paperwork violations and paid a $15,000 civil penalty.  

The Clean Air Act prohibits the importation or sale of any new engines or vehicles unless they are certified by EPA to meet federal emission standards. An EPA-issued certificate of conformity must cover every vehicle and engine sold in the U.S. To obtain a certificate of conformity, manufacturers or importers must submit an application to EPA that describes the engine or vehicle, including its emission control system. The application must also provide emissions data demonstrating that the engines and vehicles will meet applicable federal emission standards. For more information about importing vehicles and engines into the United States, please visit: www.epa.gov/importing-vehicles-and-engines

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act requires that registered pesticides imported into the U.S. must be produced in an EPA-registered establishment and the product labels must bear an EPA registration number. Consumers should follow pesticide label directions and should look for the EPA registration number printed on product labels. For more information on importing and exporting pesticides and devices, please visit: www.epa.gov/compliance/importing-and-exporting-pesticides-and-devices

CBP is the unified agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. It has regulatory authority for merchandise importation, re-export, seizure and forfeiture of unlawful products entering the country. For more information about how CBP secures the United States at our nation’s ports of entry, please visit: http://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry 

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