Selling Pesticides & Insecticides on Amazon.com: A US Compliance Guide

Are you selling an illegal pesticide on Amazon without even knowing it? For most sellers, the word "pesticide" brings to mind industrial farm chemicals, but under US law and Amazon's policies, the definition is far broader.

Any product that claims to prevent, destroy, repel, or mitigate any pest can be classified as a pesticide. This includes many common household goods: antibacterial cleaning wipes, mold removers, water filters that remove bacteria, and even some UV light sanitizers. Due to strict federal laws and legal settlements, Amazon has created a rigid compliance gauntlet for this category. This guide will walk you through the essentials to ensure you stay compliant.

1. The Law of the Land: The EPA and FIFRA

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the sale and distribution of pesticides under a federal law called the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

FIFRA establishes two core principles for most pesticide products:

1. Product Registration: The product itself must be evaluated and registered by the EPA. This results in an EPA Registration Number that must be clearly displayed on the product label.
2. Establishment Registration: The facility where the product was manufactured or processed must be registered with the EPA. This results in an EPA Establishment Number, which must also be on the label.

Selling a product that requires these registrations without them is illegal.

2. Amazon's Gauntlet: A Multi-Step Approval Process

To sell any product classified as a pesticide on Amazon.com, you must meet several strict requirements.

1. You Must Be a US Resident: This is a firm prerequisite. Amazon's policy mandates that only sellers who are residents of the United States can apply to sell pesticides on its US marketplace. This immediately disqualifies most non-US based international sellers.
2. Complete the Mandatory Training: All approved sellers must complete a dedicated e-learning course found within Seller Central. This training covers the details of FIFRA, a seller's legal responsibilities, and Amazon's specific policies. You must pass a test with a score of 80% or higher.
3. Provide EPA Information for Listings: Once you are approved, for every pesticide product you list, you must enter the EPA Registration Number and/or EPA Establishment Number into a specific compliance field in the listing's backend. Listings that lack this information will be flagged and removed.

3. The Biggest Trap: Illegal "Pesticidal Claims"

For most sellers, the greatest risk isn't in selling actual chemicals, but in accidentally making a "pesticidal claim" about a product that isn't a registered pesticide.

A pesticidal claim is any statement that suggests a product can kill, repel, or mitigate a pest (including germs, fungi, bacteria, insects, rodents, etc.). If you make such a claim, your product legally becomes a pesticide and requires EPA registration.

Examples of claims that will get a non-registered product's listing suspended:

• "Antibacterial" or "Antimicrobial"
• "Disinfects," "Sterilizes," or "Sanitizes"
• "Kills germs, viruses, or bacteria"
• "Repels insects" or "deters mice"
• "Prevents mold or mildew"

Amazon's automated bots actively scan product listings for these keywords. Using them on a product that doesn't have a valid EPA number in its compliance data is one of the fastest ways to have your listing—and potentially your account—suspended.

Sitruna's experts can help you audit your listing copy to identify and remove problematic pesticidal claims, ensuring your products stay compliant with Amazon's strict policies.

Useful Resources

• Amazon Seller Central: Restricted Products - Pesticides and Pesticide Devices
• US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Pesticide Registration
• The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Overview

Conclusion: A Niche for Compliant US Sellers

Selling pesticides and pesticide devices on Amazon.com is a specialized category reserved for US-based sellers who are willing to undergo a detailed training and compliance process. For the vast majority of sellers, the key lesson is to be incredibly careful about the marketing claims you make. Avoid any language that could be interpreted as "pesticidal" on your standard products to prevent running afoul of this complex and aggressively enforced policy.

If your listings are being suppressed for compliance issues you don't understand, you may need an expert review. Schedule a free discovery call with the Sitruna team at www.sitruna.com/meet to diagnose your Amazon compliance challenges.

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