IN THIS EPA UPDATE
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IN THIS EPA UPDATE
Date:
Tuesday, October 15, 2002 9:57 AM
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
IN THIS EPA UPDATE:
1) EPA ORDERS COMPANIES TO STOP MARKETING UNREGISTERED ANTHRAX DECONTAMINATION PRODUCTS (Note to Correspondents 10/2/02)
2) EPA ISSUES INFORMATION QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DATA (Press Advisory 10/3/02)
3) CHILDREN'S HEALTH MONTH (Press Advisory 10/3/02)
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1) EPA ORDERS COMPANIES TO STOP MARKETING UNREGISTERED ANTHRAX DECONTAMINATION PRODUCTS (Note to Correspondents 10/2/02)
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.
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2) EPA ISSUES INFORMATION QUALITY GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DATA (Press Advisory 10/3/02)
EPA has issued Information Quality Guidelines to ensure and maximize the quality of environmental data and information that the Agency distributes to the American public. The guidelines were developed under an initiative headed by the Office of Management and Budget for all federal agencies to establish quality guidelines, standards and procedures for federally disseminated information. As EPA has long been committed to providing quality data, the Agency was able to build on existing procedures to develop the guidelines. Accurate and reliable environmental data and information are vital to EPA's mission of protecting human health and safeguarding the natural environment. The complete guidelines are posted on EPA's web site at: http://www.epa.gov/oei/qualityguidelines/index.html.
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3) CHILDREN'S HEALTH MONTH (Press Advisory 10/3/02)
October is Children's Health Month. To honor the month, representatives of the EPA will participate in events calling on the public to discover the rewards of protecting children's health. These events and other practical steps to protect children from environmental risks can be found on EPA's new Children's Health Month web site at: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/hi-childrenshealthmonth.htm. EPA is focusing on children's health because children may be at greater risk from harmful environmental pollutants than adults. Children's neurological, immunological, digestive and other body systems are still developing. They eat more food, drink more fluids and breathe more air than adults in proportion to their body weight. And finally, their behavior patterns, such as crawling and placing objects in their mouths, may result in greater exposure. EPA's new web site links to a multi-agency site, www.childrenshealth.gov, that provides information on topics critical to children's health, including prevention of childhood illnesses, protection of children from environmental health risks, education and child care, safe cycling, child passenger safety, nutrition, parenting, infant mortality, mental health and more. A unique October calendar with a "tip a day" is also available for parents and children as a fun tool to participate in Children's Health Month. This site is part of a coordinated effort of the President's Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children to celebrate Children's Health Month in 2002. …
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