Photo by Stan Honda/AFP/File
Sep 08, 2012
Lawn and Garden company Scotts Miracle-Gro poisoned bird feed and violated pesticide laws, according to a Columbus, Ohio federal court ruling Friday. The company will now be ordered to pay $12.5 million in fines.
The company pleaded guilty in February to falsifying pesticide registration documents, "illegally applying insecticides to its wild bird food products that are toxic to birds," distributing pesticides with misleading and unapproved labels and distributing unregistered pesticides.
After Friday's ruling Scotts must now pay a $4 million fine and perform community service for 11 criminal violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Scotts must also now pay more than $6 million in penalties in a settlement with the EPA and spend $2 million on environmental projects.
The combination of criminal and civil settlements were the largest under FIFRA to date.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Lawn and Garden company Scotts Miracle-Gro poisoned bird feed and violated pesticide laws, according to a Columbus, Ohio federal court ruling Friday. The company will now be ordered to pay $12.5 million in fines.
The company pleaded guilty in February to falsifying pesticide registration documents, "illegally applying insecticides to its wild bird food products that are toxic to birds," distributing pesticides with misleading and unapproved labels and distributing unregistered pesticides.
After Friday's ruling Scotts must now pay a $4 million fine and perform community service for 11 criminal violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Scotts must also now pay more than $6 million in penalties in a settlement with the EPA and spend $2 million on environmental projects.
The combination of criminal and civil settlements were the largest under FIFRA to date.
Lawn and Garden company Scotts Miracle-Gro poisoned bird feed and violated pesticide laws, according to a Columbus, Ohio federal court ruling Friday. The company will now be ordered to pay $12.5 million in fines.
The company pleaded guilty in February to falsifying pesticide registration documents, "illegally applying insecticides to its wild bird food products that are toxic to birds," distributing pesticides with misleading and unapproved labels and distributing unregistered pesticides.
After Friday's ruling Scotts must now pay a $4 million fine and perform community service for 11 criminal violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Scotts must also now pay more than $6 million in penalties in a settlement with the EPA and spend $2 million on environmental projects.
The combination of criminal and civil settlements were the largest under FIFRA to date.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.