Lowe's pays $18.1m to settle environmental violations

Lowe’s Home Centers has landed itself in hot water after it emerged that 118 of its Californian stores routinely send hazardous waste to local landfills that weren’t permitted to receive it. District attorney’s officials said that the company has been ordered to pay 18.1 million as a consequence.

Thirty-two county district attorneys and two city attorneys took part in the case, and a settlement was signed Tuesday, April 1.

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The civil suit filed in Alameda County alleges that the offending stores routinely sent hazardous waste — from aerosols and pesticides to paints and electronic products — to local landfills that were not permitted to receive such products.

Reports indicated that at some Lowe’s stores, waste that was placed in recycling kiosks was thrown directly into the trash.

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Since the ruling, Lowe’s has adopted policies to ensure hazardous materials are disposed of correctly.