The $194,200 assessment is believed to be the largest ever set by KDA pesticide regulators, said Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. Under the settlement agreement, the company will pay 10 percent of the assessed fine and serve two years probation. During that time the entire fine becomes immediately payable if NaturChem is found to have committed any new violations, said Ken Franks, branch manager for the KDA Division of Environmental Services.
The fine penalized 809 incidents in which the company violated regulations as it applied restricted-use pesticides to rights-of-way for power and gas lines, Franks said. The violations took place in Kentucky and southern Ohio.
Violations included failure to follow label directions of a pesticide and distributing restricted use pesticides to applicators not certified to handle them, Franks said.
The pesticide Atrazine, one of the chemicals involved, has high potential to contaminate the water table if used improperly, he said.
The company has since brought its operations back into compliance, Franks noted.
"I'm glad to know that the company has come back into compliance, and that the terms of its probation strongly encourage them to handle pesticides safely and legally," Farmer said.
He praised the spirit of cooperation in which the company and KDA resolved the issues. "We don't want to be unreasonable or drive companies out of business, but pesticides must be handled responsibly for everyone's benefit," the commissioner continued.
KDA's Division of Environmental Services regulates Kentucky pest control companies, lawn care businesses, pesticide dealers, golf course groundskeepers and pesticide applicators. The division also trains, licenses and certifies pesticide companies and controls pesticide products marketed in Kentucky.
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