MDA Issues Enforcement Actions for Pesticide Law Violations

NNAPOLIS, MD (Nov. 24, 2009) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) Pesticide Regulation Section reported the following enforcement activity between Oct. 1, 2008 and Nov. 23, 2009.

F&F Landcaping and Hydroseeding, Brandywine – On Sept. 28, MDA received payment of a $500 civil penalty for operating an unlicensed pest control company.

Somerset County Public Schools, Westover – On Aug. 20, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the school system for Integrated Pest Management in School violations.

Terminix International, Landover – On Aug. 6, MDA received payment of a $3,550 civil penalty against the company and $250 civil penalty and six month probation against Randy Ball for label violations, fraudulent records and failure to provide requested documents.

Worcester County Board of Education, Newark – On July 21, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the board for Integrated Pest Management in School violations, failure to post, and allowing non-certified/registered individuals to apply pesticides to school grounds.

Dorchester County Public Schools, Cambridge – On July 15, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the school system for Integrated Pest Management in School violations.

Cutting Crew Lawn Care, Salisbury – On May 1, MDA received payment of a $250 civil penalty against the company for operating without a license.

Coastline Pest Control, Salisbury – On April 24, MDA received payment of a $250 civil penalty assessed against the company and Jack James for pesticide misuse.

Bay Club LLC, Berlin – On April 7, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty assessed against the company for record keeping violations.

Terminix International Co. LP, Clinton – On April 6, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company for record keeping violations.

United Landscaping, Inc., Salisbury – On April 3, MDA received payment of a $200 civil penalty assessed against the company and for performing pest control services without a license, failure to post and failure to have a product label at the application site.

Oxford Lawn & Landscape, Inc., Oxford – On April 2, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty for record keeping and pesticide storage violations and failure to provide a customer with complete pesticide information as required.

The Termite Company, LLC (AMERISPEC/AMERIPEST), Waldorf – On April 1, MDA received a $250 civil penalty against the company for failure to register an employee and failure to conduct a thorough wood destroying insect inspection.

Lawn Doctor of Towson, Riderwood – On March 31, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company for record keeping violations.

United Landscaping, Inc., Salisbury – On March 30, MDA received payment of a $200 civil payment against the company for failure to post, failure to register an employee, and failure to have a label at the application site.

Angel Systems, Inc., Great Mills – On March 19, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company for failure to provide a customer with complete pesticide information as required and failure to properly identify a service vehicle.

Terminix International Co LP, Baltimore – On March 18, MDA received a payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company for failure to properly identify a service vehicle and record keeping violations.

Walkers Lawn and Landscaping Contractor Inc., Damascus – On March 11, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company for failure to provide a customer with complete pesticide information as required and failure to have available an effective anti-siphoning device or back-flow preventer as required.

JH Lawn Service LLC, Upper Marlboro – On March 9, MDA received payment of a $200 civil penalty against the company for failure to provide a customer with complete pesticide information as required and record keeping violations.

JRP Management Resources, Inc., Burtonsville – On March 6, MDA received payment of a $200 civil penalty against the company for record keeping violations.

China Harbor Seafood Restaurant, Solomons – On March 6, MDA received payment of a $400 civil penalty against the company and Yvonne Lee for label violations and failure to observe all precautions so pesticides do not move from the intended site of application.

Wood Creek Golf Links, Delmar – On Feb. 27, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company and Greg Thomas for record keeping violations, failure to have available an effective anti-siphoning device or back-flow preventer as required and failure to post.

Blenheim LLC, Havre de Grace – On Feb. 27, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company and William Lewis for record keeping violations.

Lane’s Termite and Pest Inc., Forestville – On Feb. 28, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company and William Lane for record keeping violations.

Premier Sports Fields, LLC, Remington, Va. – On Feb. 25, MDA received payment of a $200 civil penalty against the company and Craig Koster for record keeping violations and failure to provide a customer with complete pesticide information as required.

Alpha Landscape Contractors, Inc., Millers – On Feb. 24, MDA received payment of a $400 civil penalty against the company for record keeping violation, pesticide storage violation and failure to provide complete customer information.

Growmark FS, LLC, Linkwood – On Feb. 24, MDA received payment of a $200 civil payment against the company for record keeping violations.

Arrow American Pest & Termite Control, La Plata – On Feb. 24, MDA received payment of a $200 civil penalty against the company and Bonnie Morris for failure to provide a customer with complete pesticide information as required.

Green Expectations of Southern Maryland, Waldorf – On Feb. 20, MDA received payment of a $100 civil penalty against the company and Chris Schmidt for record keeping violations and pesticide container identification violations.

Action Exterminator Company, Inc., Prince Frederick – On Dec. 12, 2008, MDA received payment of a $250 civil penalty against the company for pesticide misuse, pesticide storage violations, and deficient termite pre-treat application.

Hillside Lawn Service, Inc., Darlington – On Nov. 10, 2008, MDA received payment of a $360 civil penalty against the company or pesticide misuse and record keeping violations.

Superior Pest Management, LLC, Ijamsville – On Nov. 3, 2008, MDA received payment of a $900 civil penalty against the company and $100 civil penalty and six months probation against Ken Kovack for failure to conduct a thorough wood destroying insect inspection.

In 2009, MDA’s Pesticide Regulation Inspectors conducted 1,200 inspections resulting in 372 businesses and/or individuals being cited for violations of the Pesticide Applicator’s Law and Regulations.  Additionally, MDA’s Pesticide Section cited 32 pest control businesses for operating without a license, investigated 31 consumer complaints and assessed 33 civil penalties totaling $10,360.

For more information, or to file a complaint, call MDA’s Pesticide Regulation office at 410-841-5710. Or visit MDA’s new online Regulatory Information Center, which provides information about enforcement actions the department takes in response to violations of state laws or regulations. This information includes administrative, civil and criminal enforcement actions and is available at: www.mda.state.md.us/news_room/reg_center.php.