EPA fines manufacturer for 'unproven claims'

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined Monterey Park, Calif.-based Kinetic Solutions Inc. -- doing business as Rabbit Air -- $82,400 for allegedly selling unregistered and misbranded pesticides and making unproven claims about their effectiveness.

EPA maintains that Kinetic Solutions Inc. made illegal public health claims for its air purifier branded “Nano Silver Pre filter” and the filter’s ability to control over 650 types of bacteria, a violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.  In addition, its air purifiers did not list a valid EPA Establishment Number on the packaging, a federal requirement that helps regulators keep track of where pesticides and devices are produced.

“More and more manufacturers are touting “nano” particles as antimicrobial,” said Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator of EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “EPA takes unsubstantiated claims very seriously, and as with the case against Kinetic Solutions, we will take action against unregistered products.”

EPA will not register a pesticide until it has been tested to show that it will not pose an unreasonable risk when used according to the directions.