Summary of Criminal Prosecutions
FISCAL YEAR: 2013
1. PRINCIPAL DEFENDANT: Wal-Mart California
C.D. California 13-CR-033-JSC-1 and CR 13 334 MAG
C.D. California 13-CR-033-JSC-1 and CR 13 334 MAG
From a date unknown until January 2006, Wal-Mart did not have a program in place and failed to train its employees on proper hazardous waste management and disposal practices at the store level. As a result, hazardous wastes were either discarded improperly at the store level – including being put into municipal trash bins or, if a liquid, poured into the local sewer system – or they were improperly transported without proper safety documentation to one of six product return centers located throughout the United States.
May 28, 2013
Wal-Mart was charged with violating the CWA {33 U.S.C. 1319(c)(1)(A) - negligent violation}.
They pled guilty to the charge.
Wal-Mart was sentenced to pay more than $110 million to resolve these cases alleging violations of federal and state environmental laws.
Read more in the EPA Press Release.
STATUTE:
- Clean Water Act (CWA)