California sues Walmart over disposal of hazardous waste

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California prosecutors say retail giant Walmart illegally dumps more 1 million batteries, aerosol cans of insect killer and other products, toxic cleaning supplies, electronic waste, latex paints and other hazardous waste into California landfills each year. The company called the lawsuit unjustified. The state attorney general, 12 local prosecutors and the state’s hazardous waste regulator sued Walmart on Monday. Walmart says it has an effective hazardous waste program that is far more efficient than the state average. The attorney general’s office settled a previous similar lawsuit in 2010 in which Walmart paid $25 million and agreed to stop the dumping into local landfills that are not equipped to contain the hazardous products.