EPA halts sales of unregistered pesticides

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered Nano Defense Solutions, Inc., to stop selling BioStorm and NanoStrike, products that qualify as pesticides but are not registered as such.

Products containing a pesticide as an active ingredient or claiming to kill or repel bacteria or germs are pesticides according to federal law, which also dictates that the EPA must determine whether they are an unreasonable threat to public health when used according to the label directions. Pesticides are only registered after that determination is made, at which point they are eligible for distribution and sale.

Nano Defense Solutions, based in Saint Augustine, Florida, has been marketing BioStorm and NanoStrike to sites like hospitals and athletic facilities despite not having registered them with the EPA. They claim the products have silver nanoparticles as an active ingredient and that they eradicate bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae and yeasts. Nano Defense Solutions also claims their products can keep treated surfaces free of colonization for up to a year.

Enforcing compliance on pesticides is a priority for the EPA, as safety standards for these products ensure they fulfill their claims and don’t endanger public health.