EPA Claims Company Made Illegal Public Health Claims For Nano Silver Product

On December 15, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it fined Kinetic Solutions Inc., doing business as Rabbit Air, $82,400 for allegedly selling unregistered and misbranded pesticides and making unproven claims about their effectiveness. According to EPA, Kinetic Solutions Inc. made illegal public health claims for its air purifier branded “Nano Silver Pre Filter” and the filter’s ability to control over 650 types of bacteria, a violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). In addition, its air purifiers did not list a valid EPA Establishment Number on the packaging, a federal requirement that helps regulators keep track of where pesticides and devices are produced. EPA states that the violations were discovered through an online search and subsequent inspection by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR). According to Kinetic Solutions Inc., the Nano Silver Pre Filter incorporates a substance called “nano silver” or “silver nano ions,” a substance or mixture of substances intended to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate bacteria and mold. Products that kill or repel bacteria or germs are considered pesticides, and must be registered with the EPA prior to distribution or sale. According to EPA, the Nano Silver Pre Filter is a pesticide and was not registered as such as required by federal law.