More Covid Crassness By Menards: EPA ordered Menards to "immediately stop the sale and distribution of unregistered pes

[riversedge]

More Covid Crassness By Menards

EPA complaint just the most recent controversy involving company’s handling of pandemic and aftermath.
https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2024/08/19/back-in-the-news-more-covid-crassness-by-menards/


By Bruce Murphy - Aug 19th, 2024 04:55 pm


Last week the federal Environmental Protection Agency ordered Menards to “immediately stop the sale and distribution of unregistered pesticides” in violation of federal law. Menards was selling two products online, “Antimicrobial Filter” and “Allergen Filter,” that are treated with unregistered pesticides, the EPA noted, and wrongly claimed “that these products could or should be used against COVID-19.”

The two products are manufactured by Excell Air of Ashland, Ohio, and had been withdrawn, but were still being sold by Menards, the EPA noted, as the Winona Journal was the the first to report. The EPA said unreasonable risk to human health or the environment was possible even when the products are used according to the label directions.

It was only the most recent controversy caused by how the 350-store, home-improvement chain based in Eau Claire has handled the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Early on, in March 2020, Menards was accused by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel of price gouging on products in high demand during the pandemic, in violation of Michigan law, as the Wisconsin Examiner reported.

Nessel’s office issued a cease-and-desist letter charging that “Menards appears to have grossly elevated prices. Items like bleach that were sold at one price were apparently sold minutes later at prices approximately twice which others had paid. The price consumers were charged for the face masks, whether with or without the rebate, appear grossly in excess of the prices for comparable masks our investigators found for sale at competitors like Lowes and Home Depot.”

Adding insult to injury, the grossly elevated price for bleach was for a product which then-President Donald Trump had suggested could help prevent Covid, but which health officials had warned could be fatal for someone drinking it. The company responded to complaints with a public apology related to its sale of face masks, but denied price gouging for bleach.

Wisconsin consumer protection officials also got involved, saying they had investigated price gouging for hand cleaner products at a Menards store in West Milwaukee, Lysol wipes at a Burlington store and Menards online prices for N95 masks...........................

[samplegirl]

1. Rarely use Menards here in Ohio

I hear they are awful to work for.