Target Corp. to pay $22.5 million in settlement over alleged hazardous waste dumping

Target Corp. to pay $22.5 million in settlement over alleged hazardous waste dumping

Target Corp. has agreed to pay $22.5 million to settle a multiyear government investigation into the alleged dumping of hazardous waste by the retail chain, according to court documents filed this week.

The settlement, pending final approval by a judge, is part of a bigger push by prosecutors from throughout the state to crack down on environmental violations by big box retailers and follows multimillion-dollar settlements in recent years with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Home Depot.

Under the tentative agreement, the Minneapolis-based retail giant admits to no wrongdoing but will pay $2.5 million to the California attorney general's office. Smaller sums will go to city attorneys in Los Angeles and San Diego, as well as district attorney's offices in 20 counties, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange.

Additionally, Target has agreed to implement a statewide program to enforce proper compliance of waste disposal laws, train employees in legal ways to handle hazardous sludge and pay an independent auditor to check compliance for three years.

http://www.latimes.com/news/la-target4-m,0,400781.story