(Transcript of today's For the Birds)
When we go to any store to buy food for ourselves, our pets, our domesticated animals, or the wild birds in our backyards, we don’t think much about how we’re entrusting the well-being of ourselves and those critters to that store and its vendors. When anyone buys tainted products, even if it can be proven that the cause was accidental, we still hold the company that sold it to the store liable, because they are responsible for testing to ensure that they’re products meet minimum standards. What about when a corporation knowingly adds dangerous pesticides to bird seed--pesticides known to be toxic to birds?
That’s exactly what happened in 2007 and 2008, when Scotts Miracle-Gro company started adding two pesticides to birdseed mixes to control insect pests. One of the pesticides contained chlorpyrifos-methyl, which is not only toxic to fish, birds, and wildlife, but is required to carry precautionary labeling. The other pesticide was pirimiphos-methyl, which doesn’t have the precautionary labeling only because it’s not supposed to be sold for ANY use where it could come into contact with food or the environment. It is registered only for use as an interior surface paint additive to kill insects that are vectors for diseases.
But in late January 2010, almost two years after Scotts stopped using the pesticides [and initiated a recall], a San Diego couple purchased Scotts Miracle-Grow Morning Song Wild Bird Seed from their local Wal-Mart to feed their outdoor aviary birds. Out of a flock of 100 birds, all but eight died. They didn’t suspect the seeds at first, but then they trapped dozens of field mice for translocation away from their property. They fed the mice these seeds, and within a few hours every one of the mice was dead. That Wal-Mart continued selling the seeds, claiming they only remove items from their shelves after a recall. Meanwhile, the couple sent the seeds for independent testing. This alerted the EPA, and within three days, on February 2, pulled seeds from local retailers and launched an investigation.
When the EPA first learned that the company was illegally adding these pesticides to birdseed and discovered the falsified documents for Scotts’ other outdoor products, they pressed charges. The case finally made it to court this year. On March 13, 2012, Scotts entered guilty pleas to all charges, and offered to settle for a $4 million fine and a half-million dollar contribution to support wildlife research and preservation. The judge has not yet made a decision. Scotts documents show that they had sold at least 73 million packages of this toxic birdseed [only about 2 million units were successfully recalled], so although their proposed settlement is huge, it’s far less than the profit they made. Meanwhile, I’ll never again purchase any products sold under the Scotts, Miracle-Gro, Country Pride, or Morning Song labels. This corporation has violated my trust forever.
Additional information: Excellent investigative report by "GrrlScientist" with linked citations
Shared on my FB page. Hit them in the wallet! This is soooo unacceptable I can't even form words!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this. I reposted it on my Facebook page.
ReplyDeleteI added a link to my blog. This is very upsetting.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this somewhere else and was disgusted. The other day I was in PetSmart to buy birdseed and made sure not to buy any of the Scotts brand seeds (most of their stock was Scotts). I just cannot believe they did that, and I use every opportunity to tell other bird lovers about it. Thanks for writing about it here.
ReplyDeleteI found this information on the Internet on March 19 and posted it to my Facebook page. I, too, have banned all Scott's products. And as a Master Gardener, I'm telling our clients (that call for gardening information and solutions to problems) why. I've asked all to spread the word. They have to be hit where it hurts - in the pocketbook. Disgusting!! And so sad...
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad. Is there anything a bird lover can do - to ensure what they buy is safe, and also to somehow promote a MUCH stiffer penalty to these immoral corporate liars? Is it not like helping an old lady across the street & then mugging her for her purse? This little old lady is ready to swing back with her cane!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura for covering this issue. I am so angry at the mindless greed of these companies and deeply sad that they would knowingly destroy our little ones at such a scale -
ReplyDeleteThe initiative that couple took in testing and alerting the EPA is heartening, however, and I do take encouragement in seeing that their reports and efforts were taken seriously and that there was at least some remedy in the courts. I do hope that judge increases the money designated for protectiona nd research by a factor of at least 4! thank you again for your wonderful work. E. Peck