EPA fines 99 Cents Only Stores for selling unregistered or mislabeled pesticides

[cal04]

Source: LA Times

The federal agency assesses a $400,000 penalty against the City of Commerce-based discount chain.

Discount chain 99 Cents Only Stores Inc. has been fined $409,490 by the Environmental Protection Agency for selling illegal unregistered or mislabeled pesticides in three household products, the federal agency said Wednesday.

The City of Commerce-based retailer continued to sell the items even after being notified of the violations, the agency said. The fine is the largest contested penalty ever handed down.

"What you don't know really can hurt you. You can't take precautions and you can end up using products in very harmful ways," said Jared Blumenfeld, the agency's regional administrator for the Pacific Southwest "The cost of the product doesn't relate to the magnitude of the problem or the dose of the toxicity of the ingredients."



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-99-cents-only-fine-20100916,0,3406710.story

[musette_sf]

1. And if I read one more "penny-pinchers" guide to saving money

that lists "Shop at the dollar store" as a valid action item, I'll be even more PO'd.

Have you ever LOOKED at the products in those stores? They're all faked up to look like real commercial packaging... but at closer scrutiny, they're no-name junk from who-knows-where.

[Merlot]

2. It's the poormans walmart....everything is from china

[ProudDad]

3. What a strange concept...

the "poorman's walmart"??? :rofl:

Although I heard some dismal "economist" on NPR say that the ubber-rich are still shopping at Nordstrom's while the mere upper classes are shopping at the "poor man's Nordstrom", Macy's.

[pinboy3niner]

4. Macy's--the poor man's Nordstrom's :rofl:

From their ads, it's clear that those elite bragging rights come at a price!

Of course, a lot of us scoff at the dollar stores, too, but that's because their wares are shoddy imports that not only hurt U.S. workers, they usually fall apart almost as soon as you buy them.

In CA, the state EPA is doing increased enforcement of a law requiring lead warnings on many Chinese products. You'd think an environmental protection warning that you must wash your hands after handling a product from China might make someone think twice about buying that cheap junk...

[Tempest]

5. They stock name brands

Most are near expiration dates or overstock from common retailers like Safeway and Albertsons.

I shop at the stores and I have yet to find any items that have been over the expiration date. They're very good (at least in CA) at removing products past their expiration date. And it's the same product I was paying full price for when I was working full time.


Family Dollar began building up its stock of name brands during the recession. Its stores now give more space to food, health and beauty aids, and paper products—and less to clothing and other discretionary items. The Matthews (N.C.)-based retailer added more than 100 grocery items in the last quarter.

COO Kelly ticked off some of his recent coups while touring a store in Charlotte: Campbell Soup's (CPB) Prego pasta sauce, Kraft Food's (KFT) A.1. steak sauce, and J.M. Smucker's (SJM) Crisco shortening. "These are names that our customers recognize," he says. "We are broadening our assortment to get more of what our customers are accustomed to buying." Similarly, Dollar General is installing taller shelves so it can accommodate more national brands alongside its own private label food and sodas.
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_32/b4190023493589.htm

[shanti]

6. i agree

it's possible to eat healthy at 99cent stores, but you have to be discriminating. lots of carbs and junk along with the fresh fruit, veggies, milk, eggs, yogurt, etc. that is sold. ask me how i know...

[Tempest]

8. It doesn't matter what store it is, some people are going to buy junk food

People are going to eat unhealthy whether they shop at Albersons or Vons as they would if they shopped at 99 Cent or dollar stores.

The 99 Cent store I shop at has a good selection of fruits and vegetables.

[Doremus]

7. It's caveat emptor when buying food at dollar stores.

Or even mouth wash.

You will never find me perusing the foodstuffs at the dollar store, uhhh no. :shiver: