6/10/2025 - CONSENT AGREEMENT FINAL ORDER ISSUED ASSESSING A PENALTY OF $20,700.00 PENALTY DUE WITHIN 30 DAYS.
ALLEGED VIOLATIONS:
ON OR ABOUT JUNE 6, 2023, THE EPA CONDUCTED AN INSPECTION AT RESPONDENT'S FACILITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF EVALUATING WORTHY'S COMPLIANCE WITH FIFRA. DURING THE INSPECTION, THE EPA OBTAINED EVIDENCE THAT WORTHY WAS HOLDING IN ITS INVENTORY OF A PESTICIDE PRODUCT (DISINFECTANT SPRAY PRODUCT). THE INSPECTORS TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF LABEL WITH PESTICIDAL CLAIMS AS IT APPEARED AFFIXED TO THE PRODUCT DURING THE INSPECTION. ON JUNE 20, 2023, RESPONDENT PROVIDED THE EPA WITH COPIES OF AN INVOICE AND BORDER CROSSING SLIPS SHOWING RESPONDENT'S PURCHASE AND IMPORTATION OF THE PRODUCT ON ONE OR MORE
OCCASIONS BETWEEN OCTOBER 2020 AND NOVEMBER 2020. ON MARCH 11, 2024, RESPONDENT PROVIDED THE EPA WITH A STATEMENT THAT IT HAD SOLD THE PRODUCT ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION BETWEEN OCTOBER 2020 AND MARCH 2021.
THE LABEL INCLUDED WHAT APPEARS TO BE A DISTRIBUTOR PRODUCT NUMBER THAT IS REGISTERED TO STEPAN COMPANY UNDER ANOTHER EPA REGISTRATION NUMBER. A SEARCH OF THE EPA DATABASES DID NOT FIND THE REGISTRATION NUMBER ON THE LABEL FOR THE PRODUCT AS A COMPANY NUMBER ASSIGNED BY THE EPA TO WORTHY OR TO ANY OTHER PESTICIDE PRODUCING COMPANY. A SEARCH OF THE EPA DATABASES DID NOT FIND ANY RECORD OF THE EPA HAVING RECEIVED A SUPPLEMENTAL DISTRIBUTOR STATEMENT FROM THE STEPAN COMPANY SIGNED BY BOTH STEPAN AND WORTHY FOR THE PRODUCT. SEPARATELY, THE EPA WAS NOTIFIED BY STEPAN