EPA Announces FIFRA/TSCA Settlements with Finland-Based Kemira Group

TSCA/FIFRA Enforcement:

EPA continues to steadily increase its enforcement of U.S. chemical control laws.  Last Thursday, the EPA announced settlements with two subsidiaries of the Finland-based Kemira Group to resolve alleged violations of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). Kemira Chemicals agreed to pay a civil penalty of over $300,000 to settle claims that the company sold and distributed unregistered and misbranded pesticides, and violated pesticide production reporting requirements. Kemira Chemicals also agreed to correct the alleged violations.

In addition, Kemira Water Solutions agreed to pay a civil penalty of over $500,000 regarding violations of TSCA’s Inventory Update Reporting (IUR) rule during the 2006 reporting period. Under the IUR rule, manufacturers and importers of substances included on the TSCA Chemical Substances Inventory must report the production volume and location of each facility processing such chemicals; this information is used to develop risk-screening and assessment. EPA discovered Kemira Water Solutions’ reporting violations following a January 2012 inspection and the company has since submitted the required information.