Wal-Mart to pay $27.6M in California dumping case

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to pay $27.6 million to settle allegations that it improperly handled and dumped hazardous waste at stores across California in a case that led to changes in the retailer's practices nationwide, prosecutors said Monday.

The settlement ends a five-year investigation involving more than 20 prosecutors and 32 environmental agencies that found violations at 236 of Wal-Mart's stores and distribution centers across California, including Sam's Club warehouse stores, said San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.

Wal-Mart was accused of improperly disposing of pesticide, fertilizer, paint, aerosols and other chemicals. In one case, Dumanis said a boy was found playing in a mound of fertilizer outside a Walmart garden section. The fertilizer had chemicals harmful to people's respiratory systems.

"Today a corporate giant has been held accountable for its actions, and Wal-Mart is cleaning up its act," Dumanis said.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/05/03/financial/f102838D25.DTL&tsp=1

[KT2000]

1. These products

just should not be sold in the same stores that sell food, clothing and personal care products.
I see people with their bags of fertilizer or weed killers mixed in with their food, clothes and sometimes babies and toddlers in their carts.
That they are ignorant enough to do that is one thing but the next person using that cart puts their purchases on the traces of poisons.
Believe me - no matter how tough the packaging, residues of those products are on the bags.

[CRF450]

2. When I worked at Food Lion several years ago...

As a bagger, it was a pretty strick rule to keep any kind of cleaning products seperate from foods. Anybody that doesn't either don't give a shit, or their bosses ain't enforcing that rule much, till someone complains...

[KT2000]

3. Exactly

I walked the manager of Costco over to a cart full of return goods. A bag of weed & feed was on the bottom and fresh produce, supplements and coffee were on top! Have not seen such a thing since.

To be fair, I overheard a young man being trained at WalMart to never mix such products in the return cart.

But the cart you use at stores like WalMart and Costco could have carried lawn chemicals before you use it.
As usual - there are not really consumer protection rules.

[Heywood J]

5. I dunno, having seen many typical Wal-Marts,

I'd be more worried about the person with Hanta/bubonic Plague/Marburg/cholera/etc. who just had their sweaty hands in/on various bodily orifices and then on the cart. That's just me, though.

[defendandprotect]

4. Didn't read the entire article and wondering WHERE they've dumped all this stuff???

And are they cleaning it up and and any pollution they caused?