§ 2-2646. Prohibited acts.

It shall be unlawful for any person: (1) To distribute within the state or deliver for transportation or transport in intrastate commerce or between points within this state through a point outside this state, any of the following: (a) A pesticide that has not been registered or whose registration has been canceled or suspended under the Pesticide Act; (b) A pesticide that has a claim, a direction for its use, or labeling that differs from the representations made in connection with its registration; (c) A pesticide that is not in the registrant's or manufacturer's unbroken immediate container and that is not labeled with the information and in the manner required by the act and any regulations adopted under the act; (d) A pesticide that is adulterated; (e) A pesticide or device that is misbranded; (f) A pesticide in a container that is unsafe due to damage; (g) A pesticide which differs from its composition as registered; or (h) A pesticide that has not been colored or discolored as required by the Pesticide Act or the federal act; (2) To detach, alter, deface, or destroy, wholly or in part, any label or labeling provided for by the Pesticide Act or a rule or regulation adopted under the act; (3) To add any substance to or take any substance from a pesticide in a manner that may defeat the purpose of the act or any rule or regulation adopted and promulgated under the act; (4) To use or cause to be used a pesticide contrary to the act, to the labeling of the pesticide, or to a rule or regulation of the department limiting the use of the pesticide, except that it shall not be unlawful to: (a) Use a pesticide at any dosage, concentration, or frequency less than that specified or recommended on the labeling if the labeling does not specifically prohibit deviation from the specified or recommended dosage, concentration, or frequency or, if the pesticide is a termiticide, it is not used at a rate below the minimum concentration specified or recommended on the label for preconstruction treatments; (b) Use a pesticide against any target pest not specified on the labeling if the use is for the crop, animal, or site specified or recommended on the labeling and the labeling does not specifically state that the pesticide may be used only for the pests specified or recommended on the labeling; (c) Employ any method of use not prohibited by the labeling if (i) the labeling does not specifically state that the product may be used only by the methods specified or recommended on the labeling, (ii) the method of use is consistent with the method specified on labeling, and (iii) the method of use does not more than minimally increase the exposure of the pesticide to humans or the environment; (d) Mix a pesticide or pesticides with a fertilizer or water when such mixture is not prohibited by the labeling if such mixing is consistent with the method of application specified or recommended on the labeling and does not more than minimally increase the exposure of the pesticide to humans or the environment; (e) Use a pesticide in conformance with 7 U.S.C. 136c, 136p, or 136v of the federal act or section 2-2626; or (f) Use a pesticide in a manner that the director determines to be consistent with the purposes of the Pesticide Act; (5) To use a pesticide at any dosage, concentration, or frequency greater than specified or recommended on the labeling unless the labeling allows the greater dosage, concentration, or frequency; (6) To handle, transport, store, display, advertise, recommend, or distribute a pesticide in a manner that violates any provision of the Pesticide Act or a rule or regulation adopted and promulgated under the act; (7) To use, cause to be used, dispose, discard, or store a pesticide or pesticide container in a manner that the person knows or should know is: (a) Likely to adversely affect or cause injury to humans, the environment, vegetation, crops, livestock, wildlife, or pollinating insects; (b) Likely to pollute a water supply or waterway; or (c) A violation of the Environmental Protection Act or a rule or regulation adopted and promulgated pursuant to the act; (8) To use for the person's advantage or reveal, other than to a properly designated state or federal official or employee, to a physician, or in an emergency to a pharmacist or other qualified person for the preparation of an antidote, any information relating to pesticide formulas, trade secrets, or commercial or financial information acquired under the Pesticide Act and marked as privileged or confidential by the registrant; (9) To commit an act for which a licensed certified applicator's license may be suspended, modified, revoked, or placed on probation under the Pesticide Act whether or not the person committing the act is a licensed certified applicator; (10) To knowingly or intentionally use, cause to be used, handle, store, or dispose of a pesticide in a manner that causes bodily injury to or the death of a human or that pollutes ground water, surface water, or a water supply; (11) To fail to obtain a license or to pay all fees and fines as prescribed by an order of the director, the act, and the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant to the act; (12) To fail to keep or refuse to make available for examination and copying by the department all books, papers, records, and other information necessary for the enforcement of the act; (13) To hinder, obstruct, or refuse to assist the director in the performance of his or her duties; (14) To violate any state management plan or pesticide management plan developed or approved by the department; (15) To distribute or advertise any restricted-use pesticide for some other purpose other than in accordance with the Pesticide Act and the federal act; (16) To use any pesticide which is under an experimental-use or emergency-use permit which is contrary to the provisions of such permit; (17) To fail to follow any order of the department; (18) Except as authorized by law, to knowingly or intentionally use, cause to be used, handle, store, or dispose of a pesticide on property without the permission of the owner or lawful tenant. Applications for outdoor vector control authorized by a federal or state agency or political subdivision shall not be in violation of this subdivision when the application is made from public access property and cannot practically be confined to public property; (19) To knowingly falsify all or part of any application for registration or licensing or any other records required to be maintained pursuant to the Pesticide Act; (20) To alter or falsify all or part of a license issued by the department; and (21) To violate any other provision of the act. History: Laws 1993, LB 588, § 25; Laws 2002, LB 436, § 24; Laws 2003, LB 157, § 2; Laws 2006, LB 874, § 12; Laws 2009, LB100, § 7; Laws 2010, LB254, § 8; Laws 2013, LB69, § 11; Laws 2019, LB320, § 18.