Allercare maker to pay for 'breathmobile' for poor children

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The maker of AllerCare dust mite allergen spray for carpets and furniture agreed to a settlement with the government, which includes paying nearly $700,000 to fund a mobile asthma clinic for poor children in Baltimore, Maryland, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday.

The EPA said it reached a settlement with SC Johnson and Son Inc., a privately held company, to resolve allegations that the company sold an unregistered pesticide.

As part of the settlement, the company agreed to pay a $200,000 civil penalty to the government.

SC Johnson will also pay for the Asthma and Allergy foundation of America to purchase and staff a mobile asthma clinic known as a "breathmobile" for one year. The mobile clinic will treat inner city children.

In January, the company recalled its AllerCare product, which is designed to kill dust mites on furniture and carpets. The EPA urged the company to take the action after more than 400 consumers reported experiencing medical problems after using these products, including asthma attacks, respiratory problems, burning sensations, and skin irritation.

The company said 98 percent of the recalled products were removed from store shelves.

The AllerCare product contained an active ingredient known as benzyl benzoate to control dust mites, which are found in all homes and offices.

According to the National Institutes of Health, dust mites are one of the most common causes of allergies in children and can also produce symptoms of asthma.

More than 17 million people in the United States suffer from asthma, the nation's seventh-ranking chronic condition.

Medical experts say the best way to control dust mites is to maintain low humidity inside a building, remove wall-to-wall carpeting, encase mattresses and pillows in airtight covers, and wash bedding weekly in hot water.

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American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Office of Children's Health Protection
American Lung Association - Asthma

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