SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) – California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris recently announced a $25.9 million settlement with Comcast Cable Communications LLC over allegations of unlawful hazardous waste.
Comcast allegedly unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste, as well as discarded records, but did not omit or redact customer information.
“Comcast’s careless and unlawful hazardous waste disposal practices jeopardized the health and environmental well-being of California communities and exposed their customers to the threat of identity theft,” Harris said. “This agreement holds Comcast accountable for breaking the law and puts strict measures in place to prevent them from putting Californians and our environment at risk in the future.”
Since 2005, Comcast allegedly disposed of various waste by sending it to local landfills not permitted to receive the items. While the majority of the waste was electronics ranging from remote controls to modems, Comcast allegedly discarded documents containing personal consumer information. Names, addresses, telephone numbers and more were exposed, making consumers possible targets of identity thieves.
“Today’s settlement represents a victory in California’s ongoing efforts to ensure that hazardous waste is disposed of in a safe, legal and environmentally sustainable manner,” Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley, who was also involved in the case, said.