Scotts Miracle-Gro pleads guilty to selling poisoned bird seed
Mick Lobb
Source: Grist List
By Sarah Parsons
Scotts Miracle-Gro products are known for zapping weeds dead. But it turns out they could be killing decidedly more attractive creatures — birds.
Scotts pled guilty this Tuesday to charges that the company illegally put insecticides in its “Morning Song” and “Country Pride” brands of bird seed. That’s right: The company knowingly coated products intended for birds to eat with substances toxic to birds and wildlife.
According to court records, in 2008, Scotts distributed 73 million packages of bird seed coated with the insecticides Storcide II, containing the active ingredient chlorpyrifos, and Actellic 5E, containing the active ingredient pirimiphos-methyl, intended to keep insects from destroying the seed.
The company continued to produce and market the insecticide-coated seeds despite being alerted to toxicity dangers by a Scotts’ staff chemist and ornithologist.
And here’s the icing on the toxin-loaded cake: Storcide II, one of the insecticides in Scotts seed, comes with a huge warning label that reads: “Toxic to birds, toxic to wildlife” and “Exposed treated seed may be hazardous to birds.” Must be that a senior exec at Scotts got shat on by a pigeon one day and took it real personal.
In addition to the bird seed, Scotts is in big trouble for selling chemical-loaded gardening products without first obtaining registration from the EPA. The federal government alleges that a Scotts manager even went so far as to fabricate documents and correspondence with the agency. It seems they find forgery easier than just not poisoning wildlife.
The judge hasn’t decided what, exactly, Scotts’ punishment will be yet, but the company has proposed paying a $4 million fine and donating $500,000 towards wildlife conservation. Maybe all the house finches, sparrows, and mourning doves Scotts has poisoned over the years will file a class-action lawsuit and push for a lot more than that.
scotts whatever
were you thinking
what was in that
kool aid you
were drinking
miracle gro
a toxic waste
made by you
in greed and
haste?
Karen Lyons Kalmenson
Our Compass 
Geesh!!! It’s JUST a bunch of birds!!! What’s the big deal of a baby accidently got into them? Come on. Such a big to do over……..THrow the damn book at them Judge…WHO do they think they are the BLM killing off animals just because the got a bug up their ass!!
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I completely agree!
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scotts whatever
were you thinking
what was in that
kool aid you
were drinking
miracle gro
a toxic waste
made by you
in greed and
haste?
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Reblogged this on delia1979.
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Thank you!
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CARCEL PARA SCOTTS
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Yes!
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sick criminals never get poisoned 😦
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This is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard. Scott’s not only kills birds but I have heard if you use their Weed n’ Feed it will kill your trees if spread directly under them. Beware of Scott’s products.
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Human beings are a cancer on this earth!
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this is the time for a PETITION against criminal products ACT NOW!
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Bird seeds are great because they provide nutrition to every specie of birds. I always stock bird seeds at home. “:“`
Up to date write-up on our own blog site
http://www.foodsupplementdigest.com/high-potassium-foods/
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