The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company record fine by EPA in United States
(Washington, DC – September 7, 2012) – Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (Scotts) will pay over $6 million penalty and spend $2 million on environmental projects under a settlement that resolves violations under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Scotts distributed or sold unregistered, canceled, or misbranded pesticides, including products with inadequate warnings or cautions.This is the largest civil settlement under FIFRA to date.
Under the terms of the civil settlement agreement and final order, Scotts will pay a civil penalty of $6,050,000 to resolve the FIFRA violations associated with 15 pesticide products. In addition to the civil penalty, Scotts will complete environmental projects, valued at $2 million, to acquire, restore and protect 300 acres of land to prevent runoff of agricultural chemicals into nearby waterways.
The Scotts’ settlement is unprecedented in terms of the scope of corporate-wide noncompliance addressed, the number of pesticide products involved, and the far reaching nationwide noncompliance of Scotts’ products. This settlement holds Scotts accountable for its corporate-wide product noncompliance and results in a significant number of potentially harmful pesticides removed from commerce.
For more details see:
EPA Civil Enforcement Cases and Settlements
US Environmental Protection Agency Press Releases from Headquarters
