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EPA Issues Pesticide Stop Sale Orders in Houston, San Antonio Inspections Found Unregistered Cleaning Products
DALLAS, TEXAS (January 12, 2026) – In December, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 issued Stop Sale, Use, or Removal Orders (SSUROs) for unregistered pesticides to four companies following marketplace inspections in Houston and San Antonio, Texas. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), companies must register pesticides with EPA, including cleaning products that claim to kill bacteria and other microbes. The orders were issued to AK Wholesale LLC, C.T. Grocers dba La Abarrotera, Productos Bredy USA, and Border Cash & Carry.
“EPA is cracking down on companies that sell illegal pesticides to unsuspecting customers,” said Regional Administrator Scott Mason. “When you go to the store to buy antibacterial cleaners, you expect them to be safe and not pose a danger to you and your family. This action demonstrates EPA’s unwavering commitment to protecting American families from the sales of illegal pesticides.”
The SSUROs addressed pesticidal products labelled as Ajax Pino, Ariel Matic, Axiom Polvo Superficies, Bed Bugs No More, Clorox Blanqueador (Concentrado), Clorox Ropa, Fabuloso Ultra Frescura/Frescura Activa (various), and Salvo Multiusos. These products, which were not registered with EPA, appear to have been made in Mexico, Pakistan, or Vietnam and are considered pesticides under FIFRA due in part to the pesticidal claims made on their labels.
Under FIFRA, EPA regulates the importation of pesticides and devices to ensure only safe and compliant products are sold in the United States. EPA can take enforcement actions if a company fails to register a pesticide, including denying entry of those products and issuing notices of warning, a SSURO, and penalties to companies for illegal distribution.
EPA urges consumers to look at the labels of all pesticide products. Cleaning products that claim to kill bacteria, viruses, and microbes must have EPA registration numbers. With limited exceptions (https://www.epa.gov/minimum-risk-pesticides), all pesticides distributed or sold in the United States must be registered with EPA to ensure that they perform as intended and will not adversely harm people, non-target species, or the environment when used as directed.
For additional information about pesticides, visit EPA’s Pesticide website (https://www.epa.gov/pesticides) .
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