SAN FRANCISCO - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris and Alameda
County District Attorney Nancy E. O'Malley today announced a
settlement with AT&T to resolve allegations that hundreds of
AT&T's California facilities unlawfully disposed of hazardous
waste and material over a nine-year period. As part of the
settlement, AT&T will pay $23.8 million. In addition, AT&T will
spend an estimated $28 million over the next five years to
implement the enhanced environmental compliance measures
required by the settlement. The settlement and proposed
judgment, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, requires
approval from the court before becoming final.
“This settlement holds AT&T accountable for unlawfully dumping
electronic waste,” Attorney General Harris said. “The illegal
disposal of hazardous waste can lead to serious environmental
and health risks for California communities. AT&T will be
required to implement strict compliance measures at its
facilities that set an example for other companies to safeguard
our communities against hazardous waste.”
This is the first enforcement action in California against a
telecommunications company for its management of electronic
waste.
“Today's settlement marks a great victory for California's
ongoing efforts to ensure that hazardous waste is disposed of in
a safe, legal and environmentally sustainable manner,” states
Alameda County DA Nancy E. O'Malley. “Whether a small local
business or a huge international company, my Office will pursue
all necessary legal action against entities that pollute our
environment. This legal action should put others on notice that
local and state agencies will continue to work together to
investigate and prosecute violations against our environment.”
The civil enforcement action and proposed settlement against
AT&T were filed today in Alameda County by Attorney General
Harris and the District Attorney O'Malley, and is the product of
a robust investigation by the two offices together with the
Department of Toxic Substances Control. The enforcement action
claims that more than 235 AT&T warehouse and dispatch facilities
throughout the state unlawfully handled and disposed of various
hazardous wastes and materials over a nine-year period. Those
hazardous wastes and materials primarily consisted of electronic
equipment, batteries, aerosol cans, as well as certain gels,
liquids and other items used by AT&T service technicians in
delivering telephone, Internet and video services to residential
and business customers in California.
In 2011, inspectors from the Alameda County District Attorney's
Office Environmental Protection Division and investigators from
the California Department of Toxic Substances Control conducted
a series of waste inspections of dumpsters belonging to AT&T
warehouse and dispatch facilities. The inspections revealed that
AT&T was routinely and systematically sending hazardous wastes
to local landfills that were not permitted to receive those
wastes.
Upon notice of the investigation, AT&T immediately agreed to
cooperate and promptly implemented measures to halt the removal
of regular trash until it could be inspected to remove any
potentially hazardous wastes before they reached municipal
landfills. AT&T also has voluntarily dedicated additional
resources toward environmental compliance and improving its
hazardous and universal waste management compliance programs.
In addition to the $23.8 million settlement payment, AT&T
expects to incur another $28 million over the next five years to
implement enhanced environmental compliance measures required by
the settlement. For example, AT&T has implemented multiple
layers of protection against electronic waste getting into its
regular trash, including contractor inspections of “staging
bins” before their contents are deposited in dumpsters, hundreds
of unannounced dumpster inspections annually, and three
independent audits over five years.
There are 13 AT&T facilities in Alameda County and all 13
facilities were found to be unlawfully disposing hazardous
waste.
If approved by the court, under the final judgment, AT&T must
pay $18.8 million in civil penalties and costs. An additional $3
million will fund supplemental environmental projects furthering
consumer protection and environmental enforcement in California,
and AT&T will pay a minimum of $2 million to enhance its
environmental compliance. The telecom provider will be bound
under the terms of a permanent injunction prohibiting similar
future violations of law.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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