by Bay City News
Safeway Inc. has agreed to pay nearly $10 million in civil
penalties to settle a environmental protection lawsuit filed in Oakland
alleging that the grocery store chain failed to properly dispose of hazardous
waste at more than 500 California facilities over seven years.
The San Francisco and Alameda County district attorney's offices
said Alameda County Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill approved the
settlement this morning after 41 district attorneys and two city attorneys
filed a complaint on Wednesday.
District attorney's offices in Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey,
Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties also
participated."This investigation touched nearly every county in California, and
today's results could not have been reached without the collaborative work of
the many offices involved," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley
said in a statement.
Prosecutors alleged that Safeway sent hazardous waste including
medication, aerosol cans, flammable liquids, batteries, electronic devices
and other toxic materials to landfills instead of properly disposing of them.
The materials were either sold at Safeway stores or used for work
within Safeway facilities, such as for cleaning.
They were disposed after the materials were spilled, broken,
contaminated, their containers or labels were damaged or they passed their
sell-by date, according to the complaint.
The violations came to the attention of district attorney's
investigators and environmental regulators when they conducted inspections of
Safeway trash receptacles in 2012 and 2013, according to Alameda County
prosecutors.
The investigation revealed that Safeway was routinely sending such
hazardous waste to landfills in violation of state and federal law.
Furthermore, the Pleasanton-based company was disposing of pharmaceutical
records without taking steps to protect customers' privacy, according to
prosecutors.
Once the issues were brought to the company's attention, it took
steps to stop the improper disposal of the waste, implementing new procedures
to redirect potentially toxic trash.
A complaint against Safeway was filed Wednesday and quickly
settled this morning, with Safeway agreeing to pay $9.87 million in civil
penalties in addition to the new policies and procedures."Today's settlement marks a victory for our state's environment as
well as for the security and privacy of confidential patient information
throughout California," O'Malley said.
San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement,
"If you take shortcuts that pollute our environment there will be
consequences. Judgments like these are a reminder to companies everywhere
that we will vigorously pursue violations that threaten the environment."
by Bay City News
Safeway Inc. has agreed to pay nearly $10 million in civil
penalties to settle a environmental protection lawsuit filed in Oakland
alleging that the grocery store chain failed to properly dispose of hazardous
waste at more than 500 California facilities over seven years.
The San Francisco and Alameda County district attorney's offices
said Alameda County Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill approved the
settlement this morning after 41 district attorneys and two city attorneys
filed a complaint on Wednesday.
District attorney's offices in Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey,
Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano and Sonoma counties also
participated."This investigation touched nearly every county in California, and
today's results could not have been reached without the collaborative work of
the many offices involved," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley
said in a statement.
Prosecutors alleged that Safeway sent hazardous waste including
medication, aerosol cans, flammable liquids, batteries, electronic devices
and other toxic materials to landfills instead of properly disposing of them.
The materials were either sold at Safeway stores or used for work
within Safeway facilities, such as for cleaning.
They were disposed after the materials were spilled, broken,
contaminated, their containers or labels were damaged or they passed their
sell-by date, according to the complaint.
The violations came to the attention of district attorney's
investigators and environmental regulators when they conducted inspections of
Safeway trash receptacles in 2012 and 2013, according to Alameda County
prosecutors.
The investigation revealed that Safeway was routinely sending such
hazardous waste to landfills in violation of state and federal law.
Furthermore, the Pleasanton-based company was disposing of pharmaceutical
records without taking steps to protect customers' privacy, according to
prosecutors.
Once the issues were brought to the company's attention, it took
steps to stop the improper disposal of the waste, implementing new procedures
to redirect potentially toxic trash.
A complaint against Safeway was filed Wednesday and quickly
settled this morning, with Safeway agreeing to pay $9.87 million in civil
penalties in addition to the new policies and procedures."Today's settlement marks a victory for our state's environment as
well as for the security and privacy of confidential patient information
throughout California," O'Malley said.
San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement,
"If you take shortcuts that pollute our environment there will be
consequences. Judgments like these are a reminder to companies everywhere
that we will vigorously pursue violations that threaten the environment."