Skeeter Pesticide Company Fined $1M
The pesticide company that led the city's battle against West Nile virus last summer was fined $1 million yesterday for using untrained and unsupervised workers.
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Subject: Skeeter Pesticide Company Fined $1M....................................
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 08:07:24 -0400
From: Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of
California, Department of Pesticide Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
Dear Mr. Helliker, I thought you might like to read the following article: Important - New York Daily News Online News and Views City Beat - Skeeter Pesticide Company Fined $1M By CELESTE KATZ and LISA L. COLANGELO Daily News Staff Writers.
The pesticide company that led the city's battle against West Nile virus last summer was fined $1 million yesterday for using untrained and unsupervised workers.
"Clarke Environmental violated state pesticide laws, which are designed to protect the environment and ensure the safety of pesticide applicators and the general public," state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Erin Crotty said yesterday.
The state action came after Daily News columnist Juan Gonzalez revealed that poorly trained Clarke workers complained of ailments ranging from breathing difficulty to sexual dysfunction after being exposed to the pesticide Anvil last summer.
Despite the hefty fine, the Illinois-based company will be allowed to do business in New York if it pays up and tightens its training program, officials said.
The city Health Department, which has failed to get another company to spray the city this summer, if necessary, hasn't ruled out using Clarke again.
"We would discuss with the state DEC what corrective action plan Clarke has taken, how these plans could be monitored and what further actions might be needed to ensure that the proper safeguards are in place," said Greg Butler, spokesman for the department.
In their defense, Clarke officials said DEC inspectors were present every time the company sprayed pesticides in the city last year.
"It is our position that Clarke adequately trained and properly supervised our employees to perform spraying procedures," company President Lyell Clarke said in a statement.
The West Nile virus, which claimed seven lives in 1999 and two last year, is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.
The state DEC also slammed Clarke for selling pesticides to people in the city, Long Island and surrounding counties who were not authorized to buy it.
In addition, Clarke was cited for selling banned pesticides to the Nassau County and Suffolk County departments of public works.
Original Publication Date: 6/5/01
Well Mr. Helliker, how many more state pesticide laws do you think Clarke would have to have violated, before they would be stopped from ever doing bu$INess in the City?
Respectfully, Stephen L. TvedtenIf you would like to be included in our mailing list for continuing information on pesticides, Email Us. with "subscribe" in the subject line.