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Amazon has agreed to wage $2.5 cardinal to settee a suit brought by the Washington authorities Attorney General's Office claiming the institution allowed industrial-grade pesticides to beryllium sold illegally done its online marketplace.
The pesticides astatine contented were highly regulated, and successful immoderate cases, not disposable for merchantability to the wide public. Under state law, sellers indispensable clasp licenses to merchantability them and grounds accusation astir the buyers astatine the clip of sale. For the astir unsafe pesticides, the purchaser indispensable besides beryllium licensed arsenic a pesticide applicator.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has repeatedly investigated pesticide income connected Amazon, garnering a $1.2 cardinal colony successful 2018.
Amazon facilitated thousands of income involving the high-strength pesticides betwixt 2013 and 2020, erstwhile the institution suspended each restricted pesticide sales, attorneys for the authorities claimed. Amazon failed to pass customers that the cultivation and industrial-use pesticides were antithetic from broadly disposable products, creating an content that anyone could bargain and usage them, the authorities contended.
"Amazon is simply a almighty corporation—but it's not supra the law," Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson said successful a statement.
Some of the pesticides sold connected Amazon, if utilized improperly, tin origin neurological harm successful humans, contaminate groundwater and harm threatened and endangered species, including Chinook salmon and orcas. A institution spokesperson noted that nary allegations person been made of harm to customers oregon the environment.
In summation to paying $2.5 million, Amazon is required to get a licence if it restarts income of those pesticides and to marque a big of reforms meant to artifact unlawful pesticide sales. Amazon agreed to fto authorities investigators reappraisal its records to guarantee the colony presumption are being met.
By email, a company spokesperson said Amazon "will proceed to spouse with the Attorney General's Office and different applicable agencies to stay successful compliance" going forward. Amazon did not admit immoderate wrongdoing.
The statement reached Monday volition beryllium reviewed by a King County Superior Court justice successful coming days. Washington residents who whitethorn person unintentionally purchased restricted pesticides should interaction Amazon.
©2021 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Citation: Amazon agrees to wage $2.5M to settee pesticide income suit (2021, November 23) retrieved 23 November 2021 from https://techxplore.com/news/2021-11-amazon-25m-pesticide-sales-lawsuit.html
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