Schools receive grants to limit pesticide exposure

Integrated pest management practices are shown to reduce pesticide use

Children are vulnerable to chemical exposures, experts say.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in March announced three grants to facilitate integrated pest management practices in schools.

This funding will help reduce student’s exposure to pests and pesticides in the nation’s schools, while saving money, energy and pesticide treatment costs.

“Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society, and it’s EPA’s job to protect them from harmful chemicals,” said James Jones, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

“We aim to help schools implement sustainable pest management practices to create a healthier environment for our children and teachers.”

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) reduces pesticide use, helps to eliminate pests and saves schools money.

For example, 18 schools in Monroe County, Indiana have reduced both pesticide use and pest control costs by 90 percent using IPM practices.

This approach has the potential to reach all 15,000 school districts and improve the health and well-being of the 49 million children attending public and tribal schools in the United States.

IPM measures help prevent pests from becoming a threat by taking action to address the underlying causes that enable pests to thrive in schools.

These actions, such as repairing water leaks, adding weather stripping to windows, and installing door sweeps, reduce pesticide use and treatment costs while reducing water and energy costs.

The IPM common-sense approach is a stark contrast to conventional pest management in which an exterminator uses pesticides school-wide on a regular schedule, potentially exposing school children, teachers and staff to pesticides, with little emphasis on removing the underlying conditions that make it inviting to pests.

The three grants will be awarded to:

• TheTexas A&M Agrilife Extension to develop a central, internet-based hub for materials and phone apps that will give school districts the information and tools they need to adopt an IPM program. While the project aims to reach 1 percent of schools (552,350 students) within three years, it has the potential to reach all of the 15,000 school districts nation-wide and the 49 million children attending US public schools.
• The University of Arizona to develop and carry out a pilot training and certification program for school staff (custodians, kitchen staff, and school administrators) in eight states and four tribes, working with five other universities and stakeholders. Once finalized, the materials will be made available to schools nation-wide through partners.
• The Michigan State University to help 5 percent of Michigan and Indiana schools adopt IPM through hands-on education, training and coalition-building, including web-based trainings and a website. About 135,000 children may be protected.

Source: EPA

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Bracelets to measure our chemical exposure

A new study looks at chemicals that
are absorbed by a wristband.

Wristbands are the accessory of choice for people promoting a cause. And the next wave of wrist wear might act as a fashionable archive of your chemical exposure.

Researchers at Oregon State University outfitted volunteers with slightly modified silicone bracelets and then tested them for 1,200 substances.

They detected several dozen compounds – everything from caffeine and cigarette smoke to flame retardants and pesticides.

“We were surprised at the breadth of chemicals,” said Kim Anderson, a professor and chemist who was senior author of the study published in Environmental Science & Technology.

Beginning with Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong, the cheap, colorful, rubbery wristbands have been a popular fad over the past decade in promoting charities and other affiliations.

Anderson initially tried to use silicone pendants attached to necklaces to test for contaminants. But then, at a football game she saw “all kinds of people, even burly men” sporting wristbands. That’s when the idea hit her.

Silicone is porous and acts similar to human cells, so once chemicals are absorbed by the wristband, “they don’t want to go back to the water or the air,” Anderson said.

“This study offers some real possibilities to address the weak link in epidemiological studies – which is the exposure science,” said Ted Schettler, science director at the Science and Environmental Health Network, a nonprofit environmental health advocacy organization.

The bracelets “can identify both chemicals and mixtures, and this could easily be applied to larger groups to see which compounds are showing up most commonly,” he said.

Thirty volunteers wore the orange and white Oregon State wristbands for 30 days. Forty-nine compounds were found in them, including flame retardants, indoor pesticides such as pet flea medications, caffeine, nicotine and various chemicals used in cosmetics and fragrances.

In addition, eight volunteers who worked as roofers wore the wristbands for eight hours. The researchers were looking for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are in roofing tar. All of the roofers’ wristbands had the compounds, including 12 on a federal priority list of harmful pollutants.

As expected, roofers who wore less protection and worked in more enclosed spaces had higher levels of the chemicals on their wristbands, Anderson said.

Before outfitting the volunteers, the researchers had to remove chemicals that are introduced into silicone during manufacture.

Anderson said the bracelets are a big step up from stationary air monitors, which only capture a snapshot in time and may not be near people. Measuring individuals’ exposures usually means monitors worn in backpacks, which are difficult to use and expensive.

The bracelets are first screened to see which chemicals are there, and then the researchers can measure concentrations of specific ones. The wristbands won’t detect some particulate matter, and it’s unclear if they will pick up some of the more volatile pesticides.

Emily Marquez, a staff scientist with the advocacy group Pesticide Action Network, said the potential to use a wristband to quantify exposure to tens of thousands of compounds is exciting.

Schettler said the wristbands could help agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, narrow their focus when they test people for contaminants.

“We could start asking questions like ‘why did person A have that chemical in their wristband, but person B didn’t’?” he said.

Anderson and colleagues have several other wristband projects, including agricultural fields in Africa and Peru, and hydraulic fracturing sites in the United States.

But don’t plan on running out and buying a personal chemical-monitoring bracelet just yet. As of now, they still have to undergo a laboratory analysis to see which chemicals show up.

Source: Environmental Health News

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Farm workers' pesticide exposure targeted by new safety measures

EPA proposes new safety measures

Living or working near fields may
lead to chemical exposure.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced proposed revisions to the Worker Protection Standard in order to protect the nation’s two million farm workers and their families from pesticide exposure.

“Today marks an important milestone for the farm workers who plant, tend, and harvest the food that we put on our tables each day,” said Gina McCarthy, EPA Administrator.

“EPA’s revised Worker Protection Standard will afford farm workers similar health protections to those already enjoyed by workers in other jobs. Protecting our nation’s farm workers from pesticide exposure is at the core of EPA’s work to ensure environmental justice.”

EPA is proposing significant improvements to worker training regarding the safe usage of pesticides, including how to prevent and effectively treat pesticide exposure.

Increased training and signage will inform farm workers about the protections they are afforded under the law and will help them protect themselves and their families from pesticide exposure.

Workers and others near treated fields will now be protected from pesticide overspray and fumes.

In addition, EPA has proposed that children under 16 be legally barred from handling all pesticides, with an exemption for family farms.

These revisions protect workers while ensuring agricultural productivity and preserving the traditions of family farms.

This proposal represents more than a decade of extensive stakeholder input by federal and state partners and from across the agricultural community including farm workers, farmers, and industry on the current EPA Worker Protection Standard (WPS) for Agricultural Pesticides first established in 1992.

Source: EPA 

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Scientist speaks out against herbicide manufacturer

Biologist Tyrone Hayes said he was prevented from
sharing his research results on a certain pesticide.

Tyrone Hayes found some evidence that a widely used herbicide may have harmful effects on the endocrine system.

But when he tried to publish the results, the chemical’s manufacturer launched a campaign to discredit his work.

Tyrone Hayes was first hired in 1997 by a company, which later became agribusiness giant Syngenta, to study their product, atrazine, a pesticide that is applied to more than half the corn crops in the United States, and widely used on golf courses and Christmas tree farms.

When Hayes found results Syngenta did not expect — that atrazine causes sexual abnormalities in frogs, and could cause the same problems for humans — it refused to allow him to publish his findings.

A new article in The New Yorker magazine uses court documents from a class action lawsuit against Syngenta to show how it sought to smear Hayes’ reputation and prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from banning the profitable chemical, which is already banned by the European Union.

Watch the interview here.

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Hidden dangers of pesticides

Pesticides may be more dangerous than testing reveals: Study

Testing of pesticides focuses on the active ingredient. But many other "inert" ingredients are added to the pesticide formulation that is actually sold.

Current safety standards may not be enough
to protect human health, researchers say.

A new study suggests that these additives can make pesticides more dangerous to cells than current safety testing reveals.

A team of French scientists has concluded that studies focused solely on the active ingredients of commercially sold pesticides substantially underestimate their potential hazards.

The study suggests that inert ingredients in pesticides can magnify the effects of active ingredients, sometimes as much as 1,000-fold. Eight commercial products out of nine tested were hundreds of times more toxic than their active ingredient alone.

Normally, tests of pesticide safety are carried out only on the active ingredient, the chemical that targets the pest. But pesticides sold to consumers and farmers are complex mixtures of other chemicals deemed "inert," which implies these additives don't have biological effects.

The scientists from the University of Caen exposed three human cell lines to the active ingredients of three herbicides, three insecticides and three fungicides. Then they exposed the cell lines to the commercial formulations, which contained "inerts," and compared the results.

The new finding, if confirmed, has significant implications for pesticide safety because if inert ingredients commonly amplify pesticide effects, then safety standards may not be protective of human health.

In the study, fungicides were on average the most toxic, followed by herbicides and then insecticides.

Roundup, a commercial herbicide sold by Monsanto that uses the active ingredient glyphosate, was by far the most toxic of the herbicides and insecticides tested, according to the study, which was published in the journal BioMed Research International.

Used to kill weeds on lawns, gardens and crops including soybeans and corn, glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in the United States.

With the exception of the herbicide Matin, the commercial formulations were more potent than their active ingredients alone. Tebuconazole showed the biggest difference between commercial formulation and active ingredient, with the formulation more than 1,000-fold more toxic than just the active ingredient, according to the study.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists tebuconozole as a possible carcinogen, and the Swedish Chemicals Agency is analyzing its potential as an endocrine-disrupting compound.

Other formulations in the study include the neonicotinoid pesticides Confidor (Imidacloprid) and Polysect (Acetamiprid), the herbicide Starane (Fluoxypyr) and the fungicide Eyetak (Prochloraz).

These data cannot be used to set safety standards because the study relied upon a simple, short-term and relatively insensitive measurement of toxicity -- cell viability, or what percentage of cells survived. Many adverse effects do not cause cell death, so tests of pesticides need to use more sensitive endpoints, such as endocrine disruption.

Source: Environmental Health News

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Health Canada to review 23 pesticides

Ottawa agrees to review after pressure from environmental group

Environmentalists are declaring victory over an announcement by Ottawa that it will conduct a health review of 23 pesticides, including a weed killer found everywhere from wheat fields to suburban lawns.

But they point out the decision comes only after several lawsuits were filed last summer and suggest it shouldn’t take legal action to get the federal government to follow the law.

Many of the chemicals have already
been banned in Europe.

“It is a victory in that sense, that we’re getting them to do something they’ve never done before,” said Elaine MacDonald of the environmental law group Ecojustice. “But we shouldn’t have to sue them to get them to do it.”

Last August, four lawsuits were filed over 29 chemicals, all of which Ecojustice said were banned in Europe.

The federal government is obliged by law to review chemicals that are banned in any country belonging to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Health Canada had originally declined to do any studies. It said some of the chemicals had been recently examined and found to present acceptable risks.

The agency added that it wanted to consider reasons for the European bans before conducting studies on the others.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency quietly reversed that decision in a website posting dated Dec. 30.

“The (agency) . . . has determined that this subsection’s criteria have been met, namely that a member country of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development prohibits all uses of this active ingredient for health or environmental reasons.”

Four of the six chemicals Canada won’t review were found to be still in limited European use — restricted to functions such as anti-flea dog collars. The final two are not used in Canada.

The pesticides that will be studied are found in 360 different products widely available for consumer and industrial use in Canada. They include 2,4-D — an active ingredient in 140 different products.

“2,4-D is one of the most common herbicides out there,” said MacDonald. “It’s in many household products. 2,4-D is what I would characterize as ubiquitous.”

Norway banned the chemical in 2000 over concerns about its links to cancer and its ability to migrate into groundwater.

Other common chemicals to be reviewed include:
Bromoxynil, found in 48 products and registered for use on cereal crops and vegetables.
Carbaryl, used in 39 pest-control products such as flea collars and ant powder.
Chlorthal-dimethyl, a possible carcinogen and herbicide most commonly used on weeds in vegetable operations.
Trifluralin, a popular herbicide on the Prairies that’s highly toxic to fish.
Trichlorfon, an insecticide approved for woodlots, Christmas tree plantations and cattle, which has been linked to human nerve damage.

In a Jan. 9 letter to Ecojustice, a federal lawyer points to the government’s review plans and asks the group to drop its lawsuit.

“In our view, the usefulness of that exercise is seriously undermined by the consultation document,” wrote Elizabeth Kikuchi.

Ecojustice lawyer Laura Tessoro said the court action has only been placed on hold and remains on the books.

“The agency doesn’t have a great track record of committing to doing special reviews under the act,” she said. “This is basically the first time it’s ever agreed to do them.

“In light of that, we need to keep the pressure on.”

Source: Toronto Star

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Flight attendants worry about risk of Parkinson's disease

More and more flight attendants report health effects from chemical exposure.

Flight attendants fear they could have been put at risk of long-term brain disorders including Parkinson's disease by regular exposure to insecticides sprayed on long-haul flights.

Five flight attendants who have developed Parkinson's have contacted law firm Turner Freeman to ask about taking legal action against the Commonwealth government, which requires the spraying in line with World Health Organisation guidelines to prevent the spread of potentially deadly mosquito-borne viruses.

The Daily Telegraph reported the case of former Qantas steward Brett Vollus, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's, a degenerative brain condition that can severely impact on a person's ability to control their own movements.

Turner Freeman lawyer Tanya Segelov said she was investigating a claim on Mr Vollus' behalf.

“When Brett was diagnosed, his neurologist asked him what he did, and he said he worked for Qantas, and his response was: 'Oh, another one,' ” she said.

“We have now had four more long-haul flight attendants come forward this morning, and I think we are going to see more and more people coming out of the woodwork.”

Ms Segelov said that, until about the turn of the century, the government had mandated that all spraying had to be done while aircraft were full, whereas, now, at least for flights coming in to Australia, it was done before passengers boarded.

“We need to know why the government mandated that spraying on board, and why they switched,” she said.

Evidence needed

But there is little evidence proving that regular, low-level spraying with insecticide could cause Parkinson's disease.

The World Health Organisation is reviewing the chemicals used in insecticides sprayed on aircraft. But its last review of the available research, published in 2005, concluded that, while unnecessary exposure to the chemicals should be avoided, there was no evidence of long-term risk.

“They do not pose any significant health risk when they are used in compliance with their directions for use, which are intended to limit human exposure within the levels recommended for their specific applications,” the report found.

Parkinson's expert Kay Double, from the University of Sydney Medical School and Neuroscience Research Australia, said epidemiological evidence was beginning to emerge linking pesticides and herbicides to increased risks for Parkinson's disease.

“Most of the research is on farmers, who are using it in higher concentration, but are also using it in much more open spaces,” she said. “This is a relatively new suggestion; it's not something that has been around a long time.”

Associate Professor Double said, in her opinion, the evidence that exposure could cause Parkinson's was “tenuous”.

“Exposure to environmental toxins could contribute to it, but it's unlikely that it's going to make you get Parkinson's,” she said. “Being able to prove it scientifically or legally would be very difficult.”

A spokeswoman for the federal Department of Health said aircraft were treated with insecticides because Australia is free from several very serious diseases, including yellow fever and malaria.

“If any of these diseases became established in Australia, they could have a devastating effect on our community, as these diseases cause significant numbers of deaths and illness in many other countries,” she said.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

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Dangerous chemicals applied in Indiana workplaces

Dangerous chemicals found inside Indiana restaurants, nursing homes, hotels and health clinics

Restaurants, hotels and health care
facilities might have been treated with
harmful pesticides.

Products such as Fipronil, more well known by its brand name Termidor, arrived on the market nearly a decade ago, and have since been adapted to a number of uses, including commercial and agricultural pesticides. It’s even used in very low doses in some pet flea treatments, including the brand name Frontline.

Used safely, as directed, Fipronil can be a game changer in the elimination of pests, especially ants.

The product works so well that it has to be diluted and combined with water when its sprayed as Termidor. It also comes with a long list of use restrictions backed by federal law.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists Fipronil as a "possible human carcinogen," meaning it has the potential to cause cancer.

Termidor is only approved for outdoor use in areas far away from humans and animals. Using it indoors around children whose immune systems are still developing is of particular concern, the EPA noted.

But, in early 2012, state regulators began getting tips from whistle blowers alleging that wasn't what was happening in the field, and that the pesticides were being used indoors.

Last summer, investigators from the Office of the Indiana State Chemist (OISC), based at Purdue University, opened their first Fipronil case file, and began gathering samples across the state.

Swabs were taken inside restaurant kitchens and retirement homes, churches and health clinics, hotels and even grocery stores.

From Mooresville to Muncie, Bloomington, Greenwood, Indianapolis and dozens of other Central Indiana cities, nearly every test so far has come back positive for Fipronil.

OISC and the EPA are still gathering evidence on the effects of long term exposure to Fipronil, but both agencies are concerned by their findings so far.

The state fined one company, Ecolab, $18,000 for violations of Fipronil use. A settlement was recently reached requiring the company to pay $9,000 of that fine.

But Ecolab isn't the only company now accused of illegally applying Fipronil indoors.

State investigators are now tracking at least three additional active cases.

Investigators are also asking for the public’s help. Those looking to hire a pest control company should

• ask if they are licensed with the state and the appropriate agency
• get two or three references and use them
• check the accuracy of what they have been told

The state’s ultimate goal is to cut the risk of indoor Fipronil use to zero.

Editor's note: This article has been edited for length.

Source: WishTV

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Nature’s Best to Pay $19,669 Civil Penalty for Violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

Nature’s Best, LLC, of Inwood, Iowa, has agreed to pay a $19,669 civil penalty to resolve violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

The penalty stems from 20 alleged sales or distributions of 18 different unregistered pesticide products, including plant regulators, insecticides, and fungicides, and one count for production of pesticides in a facility that was not registered with EPA as a pesticide-producing establishment from 2010 to 2012. Among other products, the matter involved the sale and distribution of plant growth regulators, which FIFRA regulates as pesticides.

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FIFRA defines plant growth regulators as substances intended to accelerate or retard the growth of plants. Among other things, substances considered to be plant regulators may include hormone additives intended to stimulate plant root growth or fruiting, such as gibberellins, auxins, and cytokinins derived from seaweed. Products containing these additives are often marketed as fertilizers, but such claims do not exempt products from regulation as pesticides.


Under FIFRA, distributors of pesticides must ensure that pesticides intended for distribution within the U.S. are registered both if the distributor claims the substance can be used as a pesticide or if the product is intended to be used for a pesticidal purpose, which may include, among other uses, as a plant regulator, insecticide, or fungicide.

As part of its settlement with EPA, Nature’s Best, LLC, has certified that it is presently in compliance with FIFRA and its regulations.

Wal-Mart Pleads Guilty To Federal Environmental Crimes; Will Pay $81 Million +

Retailer admits violating criminal and civil laws designed to protect water quality and to ensure proper handling of hazardous wastes and pesticides

WASHINGTON – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. pleaded guilty today in cases filed by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco to six counts of violating the Clean Water Act by illegally handling and disposing of hazardous materials at its retail stores across the United States. The Bentonville, Ark.-based company also pleaded guilty today in Kansas City, Mo., to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by failing to properly handle pesticides that had been returned by customers at its stores across the country.

As a result of the three criminal cases brought by the Justice Department, as well as a related civil case filed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Wal-Mart will pay approximately $81.6 million for its unlawful conduct. Coupled with previous actions brought by the states of California and Missouri for the same conduct, Wal-Mart will pay a combined total of more than $110 million to resolve cases alleging violations of federal and state environmental laws.

According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, from a date unknown until January 2006, Wal-Mart did not have a program in place and failed to train its employees on proper hazardous waste management and disposal practices at the store level. As a result, hazardous wastes were either discarded improperly at the store level – including being put into municipal trash bins or, if a liquid, poured into the local sewer system – or they were improperly transported without proper safety documentation to one of six product return centers located throughout the United States.

“By improperly handling hazardous waste, pesticides and other materials in violation of federal laws, Wal-Mart put the public and the environment at risk and gained an unfair economic advantage over other companies,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “Today, Wal-Mart acknowledged responsibility for violations of federal laws and will pay significant fines and penalties, which will, in part, fund important environmental projects in the communities impacted by the violations and help prevent future harm to the environment.”

"Federal laws that address the proper handling, storage and disposal of hazardous wastes exist to safeguard our environment and protect the public from harm,” said André Birotte Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. “Retailers like Wal-Mart that generate hazardous waste have a duty to legally and safely dispose of that hazardous waste, and dumping it down the sink was neither legal nor safe. The case against Wal-Mart is designed to ensure compliance with our nation’s environmental laws now and in the future.”

“As one of the largest retailers in the United States, Wal-Mart is responsible not only for the stock on its shelves, but also for the significant amount of hazardous materials that result from damaged products returned by customers,” said Melinda Haag, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. “The crimes in these cases stem from Wal-Mart's failure to comply with the regulations designed to ensure the proper handling, storage, and disposal of those hazardous materials and waste. With its guilty plea today, Wal-Mart is in a position to be an industry leader by ensuring that not only Wal-Mart, but all retail stores properly handle their waste.”

 “This tough financial penalty holds Wal-Mart accountable for its reckless and illegal business practices that threatened both the public and the environment,” said Tammy Dickinson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. “Truckloads of hazardous products, including more than 2 million pounds of pesticides, were improperly handled under Wal-Mart’s contract. Today’s criminal fine should send a message to companies of all sizes that they will be held accountable to follow federal environmental laws. Additionally, Wal-Mart’s community service payment will fund important environmental projects in Missouri to help prevent such abuses in the future.”

“The FBI holds all companies, regardless of size, to the same standards,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson of the San Francisco Field Office.  “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure there is a level playing field for all businesses and that everyone follows the rules.”

“Today Wal-Mart is taking responsibility for violating laws that protect people from hazardous wastes and chemicals,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.  “Walmart is committing to safe handling of hazardous wastes at all of its facilities nationwide, and action that will benefit communities across the country.”

Wal-Mart owns more than 4,000 stores nationwide that sell thousands of products which are flammable, corrosive, reactive, toxic or otherwise hazardous under federal law. The products that contain hazardous materials include pesticides, solvents, detergents, paints, aerosols and cleaners. Once discarded, these products are considered hazardous waste under federal law.

Wal-Mart pleaded guilty this morning in San Francisco to six misdemeanor counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act. The six criminal charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and San Francisco (each office filed three charges), and the two cases were consolidated in the Northern District of California, where the guilty pleas were formally entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero. As part of a plea agreement filed in California, Wal-Mart was sentenced to pay a $40 million criminal fine and an additional $20 million that will fund various community service projects, including opening a $6 million Retail Compliance Assistance Center that will help retail stores across the nation learn how to properly handle hazardous waste.

In the third criminal case resolved today, Wal-Mart pleaded guilty in the Western District of Missouri to violating FIFRA. According to a plea agreement filed in Kansas City, beginning in 2006, Wal-Mart began sending certain damaged household products, including regulated solid and liquid pesticides, from its six return centers to Greenleaf LLC, a recycling facility located in Neosho, Mo., where the products were processed for reuse and resale. Because Wal-Mart employees failed to provide adequate oversight of the pesticides sent to Greenleaf, regulated pesticides were mixed together and offered for sale to customers without the required registration, ingredients, or use information, which constitutes a violation of FIFRA.  Between July 2006 and February 2008, Wal-Mart trucked more than 2 million pounds of regulated pesticides and additional household products from its various return centers to Greenleaf. In November 2008, Greenleaf was also convicted of a FIFRA violation and paid a criminal penalty of $200,000 in 2009.     

Pursuant to the plea agreement filed in Missouri and accepted today by U.S. District Judge John T. Maughmer, Wal-Mart agreed to pay a criminal fine of $11 million and to pay another $3 million to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which will go to that agency’s Hazardous Waste Program and will be used to fund further inspections and education on pesticide regulations for regulators, the regulated community and the public. In addition, Wal-Mart has already spent more than $3.4 million to properly remove and dispose of all hazardous material from Greenleaf’s facility.

In conjunction with today’s guilty pleas in the three criminal cases, Wal-Mart has agreed to pay a $7.628 million civil penalty that will resolve civil violations of FIFRA and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). In addition to the civil penalties, Wal-Mart is required to implement a comprehensive, nationwide environmental compliance agreement to manage hazardous waste generated at its stores.  The agreement includes requirements to ensure adequate environmental personnel and training at all levels of the company, proper identification and management of hazardous wastes, and the development and implementation of Environmental Management Systems at its stores and return centers. Compliance with this agreement is a condition of probation imposed in the criminal cases.

The criminal cases announced today are a result of investigations conducted by the FBI and the EPA, which received substantial assistance from the California Department of Substance and Toxics Control, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

In Missouri, the case was prosecuted by Deputy U.S. Attorney Gene Porter and ENRD Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Whitfield of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division. In California, the cases were prosecuted in Los Angeles by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph O. Johns and in San Francisco by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Geis.

More information about the case: URL http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/waste/cases/walmart.html

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EPA Takes Action Against New Jersey Importer of Illegal Pesticides

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a legal complaint against the Caribbean Corp. of Little Ferry, New Jersey for violating federal pesticides law. The company faces fines of up to $51,200 for importing pesticides into the United States from Mexico without first properly notifying the EPA, and for importing, selling and distributing unregistered and misbranded pesticides. Under federal law, products used to kill pests, including antibacterial cleaners and disinfectants, must be registered with the EPA and contain labels written in English with instructions on their proper use.

"Pesticides can make people sick, particularly if they are not used according to instructions,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “Companies that import pesticides into the United States without making sure these products are properly labeled put people’s health and safety at risk. It is imperative that importers and store owners remove unregistered or mislabeled pesticides from their shelves to help protect the health of their customers.”

EPA inspections of the Caribbean Corp.’s Little Ferry facility in May 2012 revealed the company was selling bottles of “Fabuloso,” a liquid cleaner, and “Clorox,” a liquid bleach, that had not been registered with the EPA. Although many Clorox products are registered with EPA, these particular bottles were not. In addition, the labels on these products were in Spanish, and not in English, as required. The labels on the bottles of Fabuloso stated it was antibacterial and the labels on the Clorox products stated it was a disinfectant, making both products subject to federal pesticide law.

Before a pesticide product is registered, the producer of the product must provide data from tests conducted according to EPA guidelines to ensure that the product will not be harmful to people’s health. The EPA examines the ingredients and the way in which the product will be used, and assesses a wide variety of potential human health and environmental effects associated with its use. Distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring that all pesticides distributed and sold fully comply with the law.

The federal pesticides law additionally requires the filing of a "Notice of Arrival" prior to the arrival of all imported pesticides into the United States. Companies must submit detailed information on the Notice of Arrival form to allow the EPA to determine if the pesticide is approved for use in the United States or meets one of the few allowable exemptions. Products not registered with the EPA for use in the United States are denied entry and destroyed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or sent back to their country of origin under Customs supervision.

EPA Settles with Hydrofarm, Inc. for Selling Unregistered Pesticides

Company to Pay $316,000 in Fines

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced a settlement with Hydrofarm, Inc. for selling two unregistered pesticides in violation of federal pesticide law. As part of the settlement, the Petaluma, Calif.-based Hydrofarm, Inc., one of the nation’s largest distributors of agricultural and hydroponic supplies, has agreed to pay $316,000 in fines and has stopped selling both products.

“This action is part of EPA’s effort to protect agricultural employees and consumers from pesticide products that are not approved by the federal government,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “It is critical that companies selling pesticides provide users with the information they need to safeguard their health and the environment.”

Hydrofarm sold sulfur to control mildew through vaporization in greenhouses without any instructions or precautionary language to minimize risks to individuals from exposure to the product. EPA has not yet evaluated the human health risks associated with the use of vaporized sulfur in greenhouses.

The company also sold “Nutralife Plant Products H2O2”— a 29 percent hydrogen peroxide product used to sanitize and disinfect hydroponic equipment and growing areas—without adequate directions for use and safety precautions. Registered products with similar hydrogen peroxide concentrations require users to wear protective clothing. Hydrogen peroxide at this concentration can cause irreversible eye damage and skin burns, and may be fatal if inhaled and harmful if swallowed or absorbed through the skin.

The inspection at Hydrofarm was conducted by EPA staff. Hydrofarm was targeted based on a tip resulting from a California Department of Pesticide Regulation inspection at a separate hydroponic store.

Before selling or distributing any pesticide in the United States, companies must register the pesticide with the EPA. The domestic sale or distribution of pesticides that have not been registered with the EPA, such as the two unregistered pesticides sold by Hydrofarm, is a violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, which ensures the safe and appropriate distribution, handling, and application of pesticides.
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Concerned about chemical exposure in the workplace? Contact an Electrocorp Industrial and Commercial Air Quality Expert 1-866-667-0297.

Wood treatment companies violate federal pesticide laws

Gardner-Fields, Inc. of Tacoma, Washington and IBC Manufacturing Co. of Memphis, Tennessee will pay fines for violating federal pesticide laws, according to separate settlements announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"Companies that sell or distribute mislabeled pesticides put people’s health and the environment at risk," said Ed Kowalski, Director of EPA Region 10 Compliance and Enforcement. "Without proper labeling and safety instructions, users can unintentionally misapply pesticides and may lack important information for emergency first aid."

* Gardner-Fields, Inc. produced, sold, and distributed four IBC Manufacturing Co. wood preservatives under its own brand names with outdated labels. The four products are ATCO Woodlast 1420, ATCO Woodlast 2c 1423, ATCO Woodlast 2 RTU 1422, and ATCO Shakelast 1441. Gardner-Fields agreed to pay a penalty of $35,336 to settle the violations.

* IBC Manufacturing Co., the owner of the products, allowed the wood preservatives to be distributed and sold with outdated labels, by failing to inform Gardner-Fields, Inc. of important label changes required by EPA. IBC Manufacturing agreed to pay a penalty of $265,000 to settle the violations.

During an inspection in September 2008, EPA found that IBC Manufacturing and Gardner-Fields had produced, distributed, and sold four wood preservatives with outdated labels in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, wood preservatives are considered pesticides that must be registered with the EPA. Pesticides must also be distributed and sold with proper labeling and instructions that include important warning and caution statements about the product and detailed directions on the proper use of the product.

Before a pesticide is registered, the producer must provide data from tests conducted according to EPA guidelines to ensure that the product will not harm people’s health. The EPA examines the ingredients, how the product will be used, and its potential human health and environmental effects. Distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring that all pesticides distributed and sold fully comply with the law.

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Preventing chemical exposure in the workplace reduces liability and increases productivity. Contact an Electrocorp air quality expert today for more information on our affordable industrial air cleaners.

EPA settles with Kemira Chemicals for violations of chemical and pesticide laws

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it reached settlements with two subsidiaries of the Kemira Group for violations of chemical and pesticide laws.
The settlement with Kemira Chemicals resolves alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, including the sale and distribution of an unregistered pesticide, the sale and distribution of misbranded pesticides, and pesticide production reporting violations. The sale and distribution of unregistered or misbranded pesticides can cause serious illness in humans and be harmful to the environment. Under the terms of the agreement, Kemira Chemicals has corrected the alleged violations and will pay a civil penalty of $301,600.

EPA also reached an agreement with Kemira Water Solutions after an EPA inspection identified 27 violations of the Toxic Substance Control Act’s Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) rule for the 2006 reporting period. The IUR rule requires manufacturers and importers of certain chemical substances to report the production volume and location of each facility producing these chemical substances. The information collected is used to support risk screening and assessment and makes up the most comprehensive source of basic screening-level, exposure-related information on chemicals available to EPA. Kemira Water Solutions has since submitted the required information to EPA and will pay a civil penalty of $503,110.

Kemira Chemicals, Inc. and Kemira Water Solutions, Inc. are both subsidiaries of Kemira Group, a global chemical company with U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, Ga.

Manufacturers can now make ‘green’ jeans

Making denim results in significant water and air pollution.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos

Every year approximately 2 billion jeans are made worldwide. 

The manufacturing of just one pair of jeans entails the use of 2,500 gallons of water, one pound of various chemicals and a whole lot of energy. It is therefore no surprise that the denim industry contributes a great deal to both water and air pollution.

 

At a recent Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference, however, a more eco-friendly manufacturing process was introduced. 

The Advanced Denim process offers several alternative options during production. Jeans can now be made with 92 percent less water and 30 percent less energy. The amount of cotton waste can be reduced by 87 percent and instead of using 15 dyeing vats full of harmful chemicals, this new process uses only one vat and replaces harmful chemicals with more eco-conscious liquid sulfur dyes.

The history of denim-making

Denim is made from a rough kind of cotton called rugged cotton twill. Up to 10 percent of the world's pesticides are used for treating cotton. Literally tons of water is used to grow the raw material. And in order to make denim what we know it to be, indigo dye is used to color the jeans blue. 

Today, indigo dye is, for the most part, produced synthetically. Chemicals, such as aniline, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and sodamide are used to make the dye, all of which can have negative health effects. Some are skin and respiratory irritants, while others are carcinogenic.

Studies have lead scientists to believe that if the Advanced Denim process was used to produce only 25 percent of the jeans made worldwide, 1.7 million people would have their water needs met every year. In addition, 220 million kilowatt hours of electricity would be saved, reducing corresponding carbon dioxide emissions.

Is it surprising to know how many jeans are made every year?  What do you think about this new Advanced Denim process?

Source: ACS

Improving air quality within manufacturing facilities

The RAP series is just one of
Electrocorp's air cleaners
for chemical plants

Though there are many benefits to using this new Advanced Denim process, it will take time for companies to apply this system to their factories. In the meantime, a lot of harmful chemicals are used to make the blue dye we so love in jeans.

It is the companies’ responsibility to ensure their employees are working in safe environments and good indoor air quality is part of that health and safety. As long as chemicals are used, chemical exposure and fumes are a risk. It is in the best interest of the companies to provide an air cleaning solution which will keep employees breathing easy.

Electrocorp manufactures air cleaning units for the industrial sector. Our units can range from small air cleaners which can be placed close to the source of the harmful chemicals or fumes, to large units that can be attached to an HVAC system, cleaning the entire central air system.

To find out more about our air cleaners, contact us or speak to one of our IAQ experts at 1-888-667-0297.

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Tomato pesticides linked to major birth defects

Many commercially sold tomatoes
have been treated with pesticides.
Photo credit: The Ewan

They were pregnant and harvesting tomatoes that were treated with pesticides.

Then their babies were born with severe deformities.

The case in southwest Florida’s tomato-growing region has shocked the nation and added to the fears of chemical exposures and the effects on workers.

A sign by the large tomato field warned that the crop had been sprayed with 31 different chemicals, many of which were rated as “highly toxic”.

A recent article in the Ecologist taken from Barry Estabrook's new book "Tomatoland" pointed to a number of possible health and safety violations that caused the women to be exposed to developmental and reproductive toxins.

Without any protective gear, the women touched and inhaled the pesticides and reported suffering from dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness, burning eyes and nose, rashes and open sores.

Company facing litigation for health and safety violations

The families had no means to care for the babies and many feared deportation, but they got help from a high-profile lawyers specializing in catastrophic personal injury, product liability and medical malpractice litigation who has taken on their case.

It’s a difficult process. Because of all the nearly infinite variables — heredity, exposure to chemicals at other job sites, possible smoking or drug abuse, environmental factors — cases linking pesticide exposure to birth defects are notoriously hard to prove.

In North Carolina in 2010, the North Carolina Pesticide Board voted to settle a long-standing case involving a Florida tomato grower blamed for using pesticides that led to birth defects in several workers’ children.

Want to know more about indoor air quality and industrial air cleaners that can remove a wide range of chemicals, gases, odors, particles and other toxins? Contact Electrocorp for more information.

Environmental exposures troubles schools

Old and new schools can have poor
indoor air quality.

While many (if not most) schools suffer from poor indoor air quality that can range from

• Dust
• Allergens
• Chemicals (from cleaning products, arts products, labs)
• Mold
• Bacteria, viruses
• And other toxins

There are some environmental exposures that parents likely wouldn’t even think about.

In a previous blog post we have written about schools suffering from vapor intrusion involving the toxic chemical TCE (trichloroethylene) and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) leaking from old light fixtures in classrooms.

A recent article by iWatch News detailed the environmental law violations that may affect the health and well-being of thousands of children in tribal schools.

The schools, run by the Interior Department, have been found to expose children to hazardous waste, asbestos in the heating systems and high levels of arsenic in the tap water. The Department of the Interior recently entered a settlement with EPA to take the necessary action for remediation.

The article also mentioned the poor indoor air quality affecting the children of the US military personnel.

Other IAQ concerns that may affect school-age children:

Pesticides – Are chemical pesticides being sprayed on or around the school’s property? Experts warn strongly against pesticide exposure for children, as it has been linked with numerous health symptoms.

Air pollution – is the school in an industrial area? The air pollution outside may have profound effects on the children’s ability to learn, to retain information and it can cause or aggravate respiratory disorders.

Toxic paint chips – Older schools can become an IAQ problem-zone, especially when old paint is peeling, as it may contain lead or in the case of a Boston-area school, traces of the toxic chemical PCB.


A portable, cost-effective air cleaning solution

RAP Series: Robust and highly
efficient air cleaners.

Electrocorp offers industrial air cleaners for schools and universities that can remove airborne chemicals, particles and odors with its powerful activated carbon and HEPA filtration system.

The air cleaners are designed for around-the-clock operation, they require little maintenance and are easy to use and to move from room to room.

Contact one of Electrocorp’s air quality experts to find out more about our industrial air treatment solutions.

Related posts concerning IAQ in schools:

• IAQ challenge: Keeping schools healthy
• Toxic chemicals and bad air quality in schools
• Schools plagued by air problems and carbon dioxide
• Students need better air quality in schools

    

Pesticide approved despite warnings, scientists claim

Methyl iodide is often used by
strawberry farmers and may be toxic.

California’s state officials may have ignored warnings coming from their own scientists when they approved the use of the chemical pesticide methyl iodide, according to a recent article published by California Watch.

The scientists have submitted an official protest, warning that the pesticide – which is often used by strawberry growers – may cause brain damage in developing fetuses.

The decision for approval was not based on the science, they charged. Their recommendation that farm workers should not be exposed to more than a trace amount to the pesticide was dismissed by the state official in charge as “excessive and difficult to enforce,” according to internal documents.

The chemical fumigant methyl iodide was approved in December 2010.

A coalition of environmental and farm-worker groups has sued the state to try to ban the chemical.

As part of the suit, the groups asked the Department of Pesticide Regulation to release documents explaining how the agency decided to approve the chemical.

The plaintiffs wanted to know how the agency had settled on exposure levels more than 100 times higher than what scientists within the agency believed were safe.

Scientists worried that methyl iodide could drift up from strawberry fields and be inhaled by pregnant farm workers or children playing nearby, causing subtle effects such as IQ loss, which might never be detected or traced back to the chemical.

"DPR has no benchmark with which to establish the limits of exposures that could be deemed as 'safe' for pregnant women and children living in agricultural communities or attending schools adjacent to fields where methyl iodide will be applied," one of the experts said.

Keep your indoor air clean and safe

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The air cleaners remove indoor air pollutants with the deepest beds of activated carbon, HEPA filters and UV germicidal filtration (optional). 

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Pesticide complaint settled by EPA

Chemical pesticides can affect
children's health and well-being.

Latino school children were put at risk when California pesticide regulators approved the use of a dangerous pesticide near their schools, the US Environmental Protection Agency said last week.

A civil rights complaint was filed in 1999, alleging that the annual approval of methyl bromide affected the health of the school children nearby.

An AP article said this was the first time the EPA announced this kind of settlement in a civil rights complaint case.

Methyl bromide - which is injected into the soil to kill pests, weeds and diseases before crops are planted - is being phased out by 2015 under international treaty because it depletes the Earth's ozone layer.

Some farmers continue to use it, because they are granted an exemption by pesticide regulators.

In California, 17.1 million pounds of methyl bromide were applied in 1995, while 5.57 million pounds were applied in 2009, according to state regulators.

As part of the settlement with the EPA, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation has to expand monitoring of methyl bromide air concentrations by adding one monitor in the area of highest risk, a school in Watsonville.

But the measures and the settlement don't provide any remedy to the parents or children whose civil rights were violated, said Brent Newell, a lawyer with the San Francisco-based Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment who filed the complaint 12 years ago on behalf of parents and children in Santa Cruz, Monterey and Ventura.

"It provides no substantive relief or remedy to the people who were affected," Newell said. "Those school children have since graduated from high school and the EPA gave them no remedy."


Source: The Ledger


Remove airborne chemicals indoors quickly and efficiently

Electrocorp's RAP Series

Electrocorp specializes in the adsorption and removal of airborne chemicals and gases with its industrial air cleaners. The company offers air cleaners for schools and universities and is proud to work with administrators to provide better indoor air quality in their buildings.

The air purification units feature a deep bed of granular activated carbon, HEPA and UV (optional) to remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants – not only chemicals, but also particles, dust, biological contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, mold mycotoxins and mold spores, allergens and pollen.

Electrocorp offers portable or HVAC-compatible air filtration systems of all kinds and sizes and provides the most relevant filtration media, the largest adsorbent surface area and the most customizable options at the best price.

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Incorrect use, availability of banned pesticides worries experts

Hospital workers are often helpless when
faced with pesticide poisoning.

Industry experts warn that many small shops in Dubai sell pesticides that were banned by the government for being highly dangerous and toxic.

The ministry banned 167 chemicals in 2009 because they could kill people and 32 other substances were regulated so they could only be used by licensed operators.

The warning comes after a series of deadly events where consumers sprayed their homes or apartments with pesticides.

It can also affect residents in nearby places, as the death of two five-month-old babies showed. The boys died after inhaling pesticide fumes from an adjacent flat that had been fumigated.

Using pesticides indoors has long been frowned upon by health authorities because many pesticides have been linked to serious health condition, and death.

Some pesticides banned for high toxicity

One example is methomyl, an insecticide once commonly used on alfalfa grass but now banned because it is too dangerous. Despite the ban, it is sold illegally in many small shops and on the black market in Dubai.

Diazinon, once used to kill cockroaches, ants and fleas, is another example of a banned substance easily available on the black market.

Phostoxin tablets, although not banned for use by professionals, are restricted.

Still, the tablets are finding their way into the hands of the public, who use them without safety measures. The tablets release phosphine gas, which is lethal to many animals even in low concentrations.

False labeling and long-term effects most worrisome

False labeling is another worrying trend in the country. The practice can be dangerous for users, who need to know exactly what substances they are using, especially in cases of emergency.

If pesticides are inhaled or ingested, hospitals check the chemical's packaging to know exactly what treatment to offer.

While cases of death and grave injury attract the most public attention, the real danger in misusing pesticides lies in the long-term effects.

The fact that a person is not suffering symptoms immediately after handling banned pesticides does not mean they are out of danger. Serious health symptoms can develop years after exposure, and they are difficult to trace back.

Source: The National


Improve the indoor air quality at home and at work

Electrocorp’s mission is to provide commercial and industrial air cleaners that remove the widest range of indoor air pollutants, including chemicals, gases, vapors, fumes, odors, particles and pathogens.

Find out more about our multistage filtration system with activated carbon, HEPA and UV.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and a personal consultation: 1-866-667-0297. Always consult an expert when handling potentially dangerous chemicals.