A San Carlos-based paint manufacturer reached a settlement with more than twenty California county prosecutors to settle alleged hazardous waste disposal violations.
Prosecutors say they coordinated an undercover investigation with the
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and county district attorneys’ offices between 2016 and 2018.
DTSC investigators
searched 29 company stores and allegedly found paint colorants, paint, electronic devices, aerosol products, and other hazardous wastes improperly placed in regular waste bins. Those waste bins were then sent to landfills not authorized to accept the hazardous waste.
Of the $1.43 million settlement, the paint maker must pay
$825,000 in civil penalties and $425,000 for investigative and enforcement costs. Additionally, the paint manufacturer is required to pay $178,000 to DTSC for investigatory equipment for the agency’s office of criminal investigations.
The agreement allows the courts to waive some of the penalties if the company takes additional measures to ensure compliance with state hazardous waste regulations, such as
hiring an employee to oversee hazardous waste compliance across the company and conducting dumpster audits.
District attorneys from Contra Costa, Alameda, Monterey, Placer, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma, and Yolo counties were among those that joined the suit.
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