Search

California Sues Retail Chain for Alleged Title 22 Violations

Posted on 2/15/2022 by Lauren Scott

The California Attorney General, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), and 12 local prosecutors filed a lawsuit against a major US retail chain for alleged violations of State and Federal hazardous waste regulations.

Prosecutors allege that the company improperly discharged almost 160,000 pounds of hazardous waste in California each year for the last six years at local landfills. This equates to over one million items illegally disposed of at landfills per year, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Court documents claim these stores generate a wide variety of hazardous waste items, from its pharmacy and auto care center to its battery and used cell phone collection boxes.

Since 2015, the state has conducted 58 inspections of trash compactors at stores across California and found dozens of improperly disposed-of items classified as either hazardous waste or medical waste.

The retail giant was also involved in a legal dispute with the California Attorney General’s Office in 2010, when the company agreed to pay $25 million over the illegal disposal of hazardous waste.
 

Hazardous Waste Challenges for the Retail Sector

This hazardous waste enforcement action underscores the challenges retail stores face when it comes to hazardous waste management compliance. 

A typical industrial facility uses, stores, and disposes of the same chemicals day in and day out. Large retailers, on the other hand, may deal with millions of individual products that, when disposed of, may be hazardous wastes—perfumes, colognes, cosmetics, cleaning products, paints, solvents, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, electronics, returned batteries, and many more.
   
In retail stores, hazardous waste training is crucial to get employees up to speed on how to identify hazardous waste and how to manage it, store it, and arrange for disposal in compliance with RCRA.

This is especially true of large chains—where, as this example shows—EPA enforcement can often go beyond one facility to cover operations and hazardous waste mistakes at dozens of stores nationwide, leading to larger penalties and more burdensome environmental projects.
 

California Hazardous Waste Training (RCRA/Title 22)

Join Lion for California Hazardous Waste Management Workshops returning to San Diego and Los Angeles in 2022.

Get required training to help meet RCRA and Title 22 mandates for "hazardous waste personnel" and get up to speed on new, stricter regulations in EPA's Generator Improvements Rule, coming soon to California!
 
San Diego May 16–17
Los Angeles Sep. 12–13
Sign Up Now
 

Tags: California, hazardous waste management, RCRA, Title 22

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

Excellent course. Very interactive. Explanations are great whether you get the questions wrong or right.

Gregory Thompson

Environmental, Health & Safety Regional Manager

I chose Lion's online webinar because it is simple, effective, and easily accessible.

Jeremy Bost

Environmental Health & Safety Technician

Very witty instructor, made the long times sitting bearable. One of the few training courses I can say I actually enjoyed.

John Hutchinson

Senior EHS Engineer

These are the best commercial course references I have seen (10+ years). Great job!

Ed Grzybowski

EHS & Facility Engineer

Excellent. I learned more in two days with Lion than at a 5-day program I took with another provider.

Francisco Gallardo

HES Technician

Lion is at the top of the industry in compliance training. Course content and structure are updated frequently to make annual re-training enjoyable. I like that Lion has experts that I can contact for 1 year after the training.

Caroline Froning

Plant Chemist

As always, Lion never disappoints

Paul Resley

Environmental Coordinator

Excellent class, super instructor, very easy to follow. No rushing through material. Would like to take his class again.

Lawrence Patterson

EH&S Facility Maintenance & Security Manager

Lion is easily and consistently the best option for compliance training. I've learned new information from every instructor I've had.

Rachel Mathis

EHS Specialist

I was able to present my scenario to the instructor and worked thru the regulations together. In the past, I attended another training firm's classes. Now, I have no intention of leaving Lion!

Diana Joyner

Senior Environmental Engineer

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Explore ten hazardous waste management errors that caused generators in California the most trouble last year.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.