Walmart Sued For Dumping Pesticides, Hazardous Waste In California

A lawsuit filed by the California attorney general and a dozen district attorneys alleges Walmart has dumped nearly 80 tons of hazardous waste, plus confidential customer information, in California landfills each year over the last five years, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Photo Insert: Walmart feels the suit is "unjustified."

The lawsuit, filed Monday (Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in Manila) in Alameda County Superior Court, accuses the nation’s largest retailer of dumping pesticides, lithium batteries, insecticide, aerosol cans, cleaning supplies, electronic waste, paint, and LED lightbulbs as well as confidential customer information in landfills throughout the state from more than 300 Walmart stores.

The lawsuit asks a judge to impose unspecified financial penalties against Walmart, which generated nearly $560 billion in revenue in the fiscal 2021.

In a statement, a Walmart spokesperson called the lawsuit “unjustified” and said the company has been meeting the obligations of a 2010 court-supervised settlement to better manage how it disposes of waste.

“The state is demanding a level of compliance regarding waste disposal from our stores of common household products and other items that goes beyond what is required by law,” said the spokesperson Jacquelyn Cook. “We intend to defend the company.”

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