The United States Department of Justice filed charges this Wednesday against the online sales company eBay for violating laws related to the marketing of devices that alter the control of vehicle emissions and pesticides.
The department states in its complaint, filed in federal court in New York on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), that the site put on sale between January 2017 and September 2020 more than 343,000 devices that impaired control. of vehicle emissions.
The marketing of these devices contravenes the Federal Clean Air Act (CAA), he points out.
“Unacceptable risk”
The US government also accuses eBay of having sold at least 23,000 unauthorized or regulated pesticides since 2016, despite a court order from the EPA, as well as, since November 2019, more than 5,600 items containing methylene chloride, a very toxic solvent.
“EBay’s sale of devices that undermine emissions controls, pesticides and other hazardous products poses an unacceptable risk to our populations disproportionately affected by environmental and climate hazards,” Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement. .
The government is asking the court to order the company to stop violating air quality laws, as well as impose fines for its Clean Air Act violations.
eBay responded in a statement that it would “vigorously defend” these accusations, ensuring that it would do everything possible to prevent the marketing of prohibited items on its site.
“EBay blocks and removes more than 99.9% of product listings cited by the Department of Justice, including millions of listings each year,” the company says.
Source: BFM TV
