The EPA fined the Fallon-based HFI Enterprises $2,000 after state agriculture inspectors found canceled insecticides on the shelves of its stores in Aug. 2006, the agency announced.

?EUR??,,????'??These pesticides were canceled due to their potential to harm children,?EUR??,,????'?? said Katherine Taylor, associate director of the Community and Ecosystems Division for the EPA?EUR??,,????'???s Pacific Southwest Region based in San Francisco.

?EUR??,,????'??The EPA issued a cancellation notice that indicated when retail sales had to stop. Retailers must keep themselves informed and promptly remove canceled pesticides from their shelves,?EUR??,,????'?? she said.

The banned pesticides, including chlorpyrifos and diazinon, were at the stores in the products Cooke Dursban-Plus Lawn Insecticide, Dexol Dursban Lawn Insect Killer, Green Light Borer II and Diazinon Ultra Insect Spray.

At Fallon, chlorpyrifos was in the product Spectracide Lawn & Garden Insect Control, EPA said.

The federal government prohibited retail sale of most residential-use pesticides containing the active ingredient chlorpyrifos after Dec. 31, 2001 and for diazinon after Dec. 31, 2004.

Consumers still may legally use remaining stocks of chlorpyrifos and diazinon products, if they follow all label directions and precautions, EPA said.

Source: Associated Press