EPA Fines California Company $602,000 for Sale of Unregistered Antimicrobial Wipes that Illegally Made “Sterilizer” Claims

May 16, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced a settlement with Daiso California LLC that resolves violations of the law for the company's sale of wet wipes that were not registered with EPA. Daiso will pay a $602,386 penalty to settle these violations. The company sold the wipes—Daiso Plus Wet Wipes—at a store in El Cerrito, Calif., and online on its website. Daiso primarily markets its products to Asian-American communities.

"Unregistered disinfectant or sterilizer products like Daiso Plus Wet Wipes, with labels that make false and misleading claims, can threaten human health," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "This settlement is proof of EPA's commitment to enforce laws that protect public health, especially in communities that face environmental justice challenges."

Before March 2022, Daiso sold Daiso Plus Wet Wipes, the labels for which made the claim that the wipes were for sterilizing kitchenware and other items. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the term "sterilizing" is a claim attributed to pesticide products with the highest level of efficacy against microorganisms. Because of these claims, Daiso Plus Wet Wipes were considered a pesticide product and should have been registered with EPA, but the company failed to do so.

The sale and distribution of unregistered products making disinfectant or sterilizer claims may pose risks to human health and the environment. If EPA has not reviewed reliable data about how the pesticide product works and what kinds of exposures may impact the user, then the risk to the consumer and the environment is unknown and use of the product is potentially unsafe. Additionally, consumers may be misled to believe a pesticide product provides public health benefits that it does not.

Applicants for pesticide registration are required to submit efficacy data to the agency to substantiate any public health claims they intend to make for their product. Before EPA can register a pesticide, the agency must determine that no unreasonable adverse effects on human health and the environment will occur when the product is used according to its label directions.

Read more about FIFRA enforcement on EPA's website.

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