Chemical company American Vanguard Corporation agreed to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to report imported agricultural chemicals.
The EPA said on Friday that American Vanguard will pay a fine of $81,855 for not reporting toxic chemical substances imported by two of its subsidiary companies, AMVAC Chemical Corporation and GemChem Inc., in 2011.
Under the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA maintains a list of more than 85,000 chemical substances. Bulk chemical substances on this list weighing more than 25,000 lbs that are imported, manufactured, processed or used must be reported to the EPA.
In 2011, American Vanguard imported more than 25,000 pounds of three chemicals commonly used as ingredients in pesticides and other agricultural products: Trichloroethanal, Phosphorothioic trichloride and 2,4-Dichlorophenol. However, the company failed to report these chemicals to the EPA as required by the TSCA’s Chemical Data Reporting rule.
Data collected by the agency under the Chemical Data Reporting rule is made available to the public so that communities have a better understanding of the risks posed to human health and the environment by chemicals currently used in U.S. commerce.
American Vanguard, headquartered in Newport Beach, California, produces chemical products such as pesticides and herbicides for agricultural use.