You might recall the story of the family from Delaware that became seriously ill after possibly coming into contact with an illegal pesticide at the luxury condo they were vacationing at in the Virgin Islands. Now Terminix is on the hook for $10 million in fines after workers sprayed toxic methyl bromide in the building.
Back in March 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says members of the family were stricken with various serious illnesses because the $800-per-night condo at a resort in the U.S Virgin Islands was possibly fumigated using toxic pesticides normally found in industrial farming.
Now, pest control company Terminix will pay a hefty sum after workers sprayed below the family’s condo with methyl bromide, which is an illegal pesticide that has been banned for residential use for the last 30 years, reports the New York Daily News, as part of an agreement announced by the Justice Department on Tuesday.
Both parents and their teenage sons fell ill shortly after arriving for vacation. Later, they began suffering seizures and were transported back to the mainland, where they were put into medically induced comas.
Though the mother has been able to recover the best so far, according to reports, there isn’t a clear update about their conditions at the moment.
The fine includes payment for the EPA’s cleanup of the St. Thomas condo and a community service project. Terminix is also expected to resolve the family’s medical biill through civil proceedings as part of its probation.
“When you break a law that protects public health, there are real victims and real consequences, as this case tragically shows,” EPA administrator Cynthia Giles said.
Terminix says as part of the agreement with the feds, it has also stopped using the toxic chemical in the U.S. except for as part of a government contract in Baltimore.
Terminix fined $10 million after Delaware family severely injured by illegal pesticide at Virgin Islands condo [New York Daily News]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist