Consumers should never have to second-guess information on product labels, and through a recent settlement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Lonza Inc., the nation's largest manufacturer of hospital disinfectants, consumers will now assuredly be getting what they pay for.
In March 2007, EPA charged Lonza with making false claims about the effectiveness of its products against microbial pests. As a result, Lonza has agreed to develop and implement an unprecedented nationwide quality assurance program to ensure that the quality and efficacy of the disinfectant products that are sold to hospitals around the country are up to par.
"When a person uses a disinfectant, she should be able to wholeheartedly trust that that disinfectant is doing what the label claims," said Alan J. Steinberg, Regional Administrator. "Lonza misled the public, but EPA is turning this situation into a positive by overseeing this quality assurance program and sending a message to others that these deceptive actions will not be tolerated."
Before any pesticide is sold in the U.S., it must go through EPA's rigorous registration process, dictated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). During this process, companies must provide health studies and environmental information about the product to ensure that its proper use does not cause any negative human or environmental effects. It is incumbent upon the manufacturer to ensure that its product lives up to its claims. If EPA decides to register the product, it grants the manufacturer an EPA registration number, which is listed on the product. EPA also works closely with the manufacturer on the label language, to make sure it is clear and as specific as possible about how the product may be used.