DALLAS (Legal Newsline) – Whole Foods Inc. will pay $3.5 million and promote hazardous waste compliance after allegations of improperly identifying or mishandling hazardous waste at company facilities in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Whole Foods' alleged hazardous waste mishandling violates the Resource Conservation Recovery Act Hazardous Waste Program, which created a system for controlling hazardous waste. It details how companies must deal with the waste from the time it is generated until the time it is disposed.
“All companies must follow the law and be responsible stewards of their hazardous waste, from generating it to safely disposing of it,” Regional Administrator Ron Curry said. “Whole Foods is correcting these violations and will ensure their stores and facilities continue to comply with environmental regulations. They will also look into launching an innovative hazardous waste tracking system that we hope becomes the industry standard.”
As per the settlement agreement, Whole Foods will develop a Supplemental Environmental Project that seeks to educate Texas consumers about hazardous waste laws. The goal is raise awareness about the responsibilities business owners have when it comes to hazardous waste.