All News Releases By Date

 

EPA ORDERS COMPANIES TO STOP MARKETING UNREGISTERED ANTHRAX DECONTAMINATION PRODUCTS

Release Date: 10/02/2002
Contact Information:





Note to Correspondents

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a stop-sale order to both Aerotech Laboratories Inc., Phoenix, Ariz., and American Security and Control Inc., Falls Church, Va., to cease advertising and selling their respective products which allegedly protect against anthrax. The companies both marketed their unregistered pesticides over the Internet.

Selling or distributing unregistered pesticides is generally prohibited under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, which authorizes EPA to issue orders stopping the sale of such products. The Agency has no pesticides registered for the control of anthrax. The EPA continues to inspect advertisements on the Internet and other marketing venues to identify unregistered pesticides being illegally sold to the public.

Within the past 10 months, the Agency has ordered four companies, including Aerotech and American Security, to stop marketing and illegally selling pesticides for use against anthrax. On Sept.28,EPA ordered Aerotech to stop selling the unregistered pesticide, Modec Decon Formulation (MDF). The company included MDF in its supposed “Bioterrorism Response Kit.” The label claimed the pesticide, “Decontaminates & Mitigates Chemical & Biological Weapons Agents.”

EPA also issued a stop-sale order on Sept. 30 to American Security for marketing “Easy DECON Spray,” which the company promoted as a “personal incident anthrax and biological and chemical decontamination sprayer.
“In addition, the stop sale order included two other unregistered products the company advertised on the Internet, “Anthrax and Biological Decontamination System, and the “Anthrax and other Biologicals Decontaminant Killer Solution.” The company inaccurately claimed the pesticide had received EPA approval.

The specific products, MDF and Easy DECON Spray, have not been registered by EPA as pesticides. Both stop sale orders became effective immediately upon receipt. Because of the orders, both companies have removed their unauthorized anthrax advertisements from their respective Internet sites. The Agency will be monitoring compliance with its orders, which included a request that each company voluntarily withdraw all unregistered products.

Anthrax can present a serious threat to public health and only properly trained emergency health and safety personnel should investigate and handle suspected anthrax contamination. Anyone who suspects anthrax contamination should contact their local police, or health and safety authorities.


R-188 # # #