143-447. Emergency suspensions; seizures.

(a) The Board may order the summary suspension of the registration of a pesticide if it finds the suspension necessary to prevent an imminent hazard to the public, a nontarget organism, or a segment of the environment. In no event shall registration of a pesticide be construed as a defense to any charge of an offense prohibited under this Article.

(b) It shall be the duty of the Board to issue and enforce a written or printed "stop sale, stop use, or removal" order to the owner or custodian of any lot of pesticide and for the owner or custodian to hold said lot at a designated place when the Board finds said pesticide is being offered or exposed for sale in violation of any of the provisions of this Article until the law has been complied with and said pesticide is released in writing by the Board or said violation has been otherwise legally disposed of by written authority. The Board shall release the pesticide so withdrawn when the requirements of the provisions of this Article have been complied with and upon payment of all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the withdrawal.

The Board may issue a "stop sale, use or removal order" to prevent or stop the use of a pesticide in a manner inconsistent with its labeling or to prevent or stop the disposal of a pesticide or a pesticide container in violation of this Article or the rules of the Board adopted thereunder.

(c) Any pesticide (or device) that is distributed, sold, or offered for sale within this State or delivered for transportation or transported in intrastate commerce between points within this State through any point outside this State shall be liable to be proceeded against in superior court in any county of the State where it may be found and seized for confiscation by process or libel for condemnation:

(1) In the case of a pesticide,

a. If it is adulterated or misbranded,

b. If it has not been registered under the provisions of G.S. 143-442, or has had its registration suspended or revoked or is the subject of a stop sale, stop use, or removal order,

c. If it fails to bear on its label the information required by this Part,

d. If it is a white or lightly colored pesticide and is not colored as required under this Part.

(2) In the case of a device, if it is misbranded.

(d) If the article is condemned, it shall, after entry of decree, be disposed of by destruction or sale as the court may direct and the proceeds, if such article is sold, less legal costs, shall be paid to the State Treasurer; provided that the article shall not be sold contrary to the provisions of this Part; and provided further that upon payment of costs and execution and delivery of a good and sufficient bond conditioned that the article shall not be disposed of unlawfully, the court may direct that said article be delivered to the owner thereof for relabeling or reprocessing or disposal, as the case may be.

(e) When a decree of condemnation is entered against the article, court costs and fees and storage and other proper expenses shall be awarded against the person, if any, intervening as claimant of the article.