EPA Fines Agricultural Companies for Pesticide Violations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached a settlement with two companies over storage and containment of pesticides.

San Francisco based agricultural products company Wilbur-Ellis was ordered to pay $62,080 in civil penalties and, Collierville, Tenn. based agricultural products company Helena Chemical was ordered to pay $12,800 in civil penalties.

“Failing to meet standards for properly managing pesticides puts workers and the environment at risk,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Regulated facilities must ensure that protection of our health and environment is a top priority.”

Both companies had unsealed cracks in the floors and/or walls of the pesticide containment areas among other violations, said EPA officials.

In total, Helena Chemical and Wilbur-Ellis operate hundreds of pesticide facilities nationwide.

For more information on EPA’s pesticide container/containment regulations, that include the requirements at issue in these cases, visit: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/containers.htm