Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Company owes fine over woman's death
Friday, May 01, 2009 | No comments posted.
EUGENE (AP) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined a Eugene extermination company $4,550 for illegally applying pesticides in the home of a Florence woman. She died from cardiac arrest.
Swanson's Pest Management fumigated an elderly couple's home in June 2005.
After returning a few hours later, 76-year-old Florence Kolbeck died and her husband was hospitalized with breathing problems. Emergency responders also became ill.
The Environmental Protection Agency says a worker, who had failed his licensing exam seven times, sprayed too much pesticide and failed to properly ventilate the couple's home. The agency says the fine is the maximum allowed under the law.
Joan Jensen, Swanson's operations manager, contends the company is not at fault and disagrees with the EPA's judgment.
Swanson's settled a $2.5 million lawsuit filed by Kolbeck's husband.
Swanson's Pest Management fumigated an elderly couple's home in June 2005.
After returning a few hours later, 76-year-old Florence Kolbeck died and her husband was hospitalized with breathing problems. Emergency responders also became ill.
The Environmental Protection Agency says a worker, who had failed his licensing exam seven times, sprayed too much pesticide and failed to properly ventilate the couple's home. The agency says the fine is the maximum allowed under the law.
Joan Jensen, Swanson's operations manager, contends the company is not at fault and disagrees with the EPA's judgment.
Swanson's settled a $2.5 million lawsuit filed by Kolbeck's husband.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines