Store Chain in California Ordered to Pay $409,490 for Selling Unregistered Pesticides

LOS ANGELES—An administrative law judgehas ordered California-based 99 Cents Only Stores to pay $409,490 for selling two products containing unregistered pesticides and one misbranded roach killer, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Sept. 15.

EPA filed an administrative complaint against the discount store chain in 2008 proposing $969,903 in civil penalties for alleged violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (191 DER A-30, 10/2/08).

After reviewing the evidence, the administrative law judge cut the proposed penalties by more than half. EPA failed to prove its proposed fine was appropriate for most of the violations, Chief Administrative ...