A Kenosha company accused of selling unregistered pesticides will pay more than a half-million dollars in a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Kenosha-based Beckart Environmental, Inc. must pay $546,972 within 30 days under a signed consent agreement and final order.
The agency alleged Beckart had been selling products labeled “Aqua Dry” and “Air Relief 3001” that claimed to kill bacteria, germs or other viruses.
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The EPA said that’s a violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act because any products that claim to repel or destroy bacteria are pesticides that must be registered.
Environmental regulators alleged the company sold Aqua Dry kits on at least 37 occasions between 2021 and 2022. The company’s website claimed the product would “eliminate mold, mildew and other bacterial microorganisms.” Beckart also allegedly sold Air Relief 3001 at least 39 times during the same time period, which made similar claims of disinfecting surfaces. Regulators say the company’s website also claimed the product had been registered with the EPA.
Federal law requires that pesticides go through the EPA’s registration process to make sure they don’t pose an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment.
Under the deal, the company did not admit any wrongdoing.
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