30
Oct
Lawsuit Targets Scotts Miracle-Gro for Claiming PFAS-Tainted Products Are “Eco-Friendly” and “Sustainable”
(Beyond Pesticides, October 30, 2024) STARTS TODAY at 2 PM EDT—NATIONAL FORUM: IMPERATIVES FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. Beyond Pesticides has filed suit against The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and GreenTechnologies, LLC for allegedly misleading consumers on the hazardous nature of their fertilizer products, which contain sewage sludge (often referred to as biosolids) contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The group filed two cases, Beyond Pesticides v. Miracle-Gro Co. and Beyond Pesticides v. GreenTechnologies, LLC, in D.C. Superior Court on October 25, 2024. The complaint alleges that, as part of their marketing, these companies tell consumers that their fertilizers are “eco-friendly” and “sustainable,” when, in fact, the products contain hazardous substances. The complaint cites test results showing PFAS residues in the companies’ fertilizers and numerous scientific studies on the adverse effects of PFAS to public health, wildlife, and pollinators.
PFAS, known as “forever chemicals” due to their ability to persist in the environment, are endocrine disruptors linked to developmental issues, cancers, metabolic, cardiovascular and reproductive harm, damage to the liver, kidneys, and the respiratory system, as well increased chances of disease infection and severity. The chemicals’ immunotoxic effects threaten human health.
Beyond Pesticides alleges that consumers are, thus, misled by advertising in which Scotts Miracle-Gro describes its product ingredients as “organic matter and recycled nutrients,” despite the presence of PFAS. Similarly, Beyond Pesticides alleges that consumers are misled by GreenTechnologies’ representations that its product is “a sustainable fertilizer that enhances environmental quality.”
“Companies that market hazardous substances while claiming environmental and health benefits are misleading consumers who seek out products to protect themselves, their families, and the ecosystems in which they live,” said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. “Our litigation seeks to put a stop to this deceptive practice in the marketplace, where there are products and practices that are truly healthful and protective of nature,” Mr. Feldman continued.
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Beyond Pesticides is seeking injunctive relief under the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act, D.C. Code §§ 28-3901-13. Beyond Pesticides is represented by Richman Law & Policy.
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Don’t miss it! Beyond Pesticides’ 41st National Forum, Imperatives for a Sustainable Future—Reversing the existential crises of pesticide-induced illness, biodiversity collapse, and the climate emergency, starts TODAY, October 30 at 2-4pm (EDT) and then continues on November 14 at 1pm (EST). The Forum provides an opportunity to discuss with world-renowned scientists, from Germany and the United States, both (i) the hazards that define the urgency of threats associated petrochemical toxicants, with a focus on chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system (including pesticides) and lead to life-threatening diseases, and (ii) the strategy for adopting a path forward that tackles the problem holistically, rather than one chemical at a time. It is not too late to register—Click here!
