Kind of makes you wonder, at times.

First there is the stupid piddly fine levied against eight corporations for providing clothing that had serious risk of choking and strangulation of CHILDREN, and they paid LESS THAN FIFTY GRAND A PIECE to make the lawsuit go away from the CPSC. Now you have Scott’s using INVALID LICENSES FROM EPA to sell its goods.

“A manufacturer such as Scotts cannot ignore the important legal requirement of registering its pesticides,” said Region 5 Administrator Mary A. Gade. “This is a serious violation of EPA’s system for protecting people and the environment from the potential harmful effects of pesticides. EPA will fully investigate this violation and take appropriate actions. We are committed to keeping the public informed about any health consequences and providing information to assure the safe recall of these products as soon as possible.” (source)

While they don’t say what risks there are to people, or the environment, they have ordered a recall on some of these items, made or marketed by Scott’s. The issue it seems, is that the license used as a registration for the product, is INVALID. That in essence, Scott’s merely used a number to get the stuff out on the shelves, which makes me wonder, how in hell does any Company even think of doing such a thing? I mean they had to know it was wrong, was ILLEGAL, so why do it?

(Chicago, Ill. – April 23, 2008) U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 today issued a “stop sale, use or removal” order against Scotts Miracle Gro Co. and three affiliates, all of Marysville, Ohio, for illegal, unregistered and misbranded pesticides. EPA will also issue a stop sale order to Scotts Lawn Care Service. (source)

I don’t get any of this anymore. I know, money is important, and yes a company does indeed need to have a healthy balance sheet, but at what price? When is enough, ENOUGH? I mean I don’t mind making a profit on what I do, but there has to be limits. Some of the goods David & I import from Indonesia, are sold at very little profit, because of the high cost of shipping, but WE PAY IT to keep our customer’s happy, to make the sale.

Thing is, we don’t lose money, just don’t make as much as we would like, still it is okay, because we prefer to have satisfied customers, and make something. So what is it about companies, that seem to throw away all values, all ethics, for the sake of increased profits?

And when did they become Above the Law?

Frankly, I believe this comes from the way Government treats big business these days. They cater to them, and give them tax cut after tax cut, rather than insuring that they follow the laws, that they do due diligence in insuring their product meets existing standards. It is a mantra of the Bush Administration, to give business whatever they want, whether cheap labor, or access to cheap imports from abroad.

At the expense of People.