Federal charges stem from hazmat handling, disposal
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will pay $86.1 million in fines after pleading guilty yesterday to federal environmental crimes and civil violations. Coupled with previous actions brought by California, Missouri and the EPA for related offenses, Wal-Mart will pay a combined total of more than $110 to resolve charges against the company.
Wal-Mart admitted to six counts of violating the Clean Water Act by illegally handling and disposing of hazardous materials at its retail stores across the United States and to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) by failing to properly handle pesticides that had been returned by customers at its stores across the country.