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Settlement Reached with Target in Environmental Enforcement Action
By Ventura County District Attorneys Office — Monday, December 10th, 2018
District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, together with the California Attorney General’s Office and 24 other prosecutorial agencies, reached a $7.4 million statewide settlement with Minnesota-based Target Corporation in an environmental enforcement action. The settlement resolves allegations that Target violated state laws, and violated injunctive terms from a 2011 stipulated judgment, regarding the company’s handling and disposal of retail hazardous waste. The civil complaint alleges that between 2012 and 2016, Target improperly disposed hazardous waste into landfills. The waste included electronics, batteries, aerosol cans, compact fluorescent light bulbs, and medical waste including syringes, over-the-counter and prescribed pharmaceuticals, as well as confidential medical information from its customers. Under the terms of the judgment, Target is required to pay $3.2 million in civil penalties and $900,000 for fees and costs. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office will receive $319,819 under the settlement. In addition, Target was ordered to pay $300,00 to fund Supplemental Environmental Projects. Target was also ordered to expend at least $3 million to conduct three annual inspections and audits of 12 facilities and provide reports to the Attorney General and local prosecutors to ensure ongoing compliance with environmental laws. The District Attorneys of the Counties of Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Humboldt, Kings, Los Angeles, Merced, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare and Yolo, and the City Attorneys of Los Angeles and San Diego also participated in this action. The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims. |
