WalMart Fined for Pesticides

Wal-Mart Stores plead guilty to illegally disposing of pesticides returned by consumers by placing pesticide containers in municipal trash or pouring liquids into municipal sewer systems.  The guilty pleas to six counts of violating the Clean Water Act were in cases filed by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The company paid a $40 million criminal fine and and another $20 million to fund community service projects such as the new Retail Compliance Assistance Center that will assist retail stores with hazardous waste disposal regulations. Wal-Mart also plead guilty to violating the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act in Kansas City. More than 2 million pounds of pesticides were improperly handled by Wal-Mart's disposal contractor near Neosho, MO between July 2006 and February 2008 according to the US Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. As a result of these criminal cases and a related civil case filed by EPA, Wall-Mart will pay a total of $81.6 million in federal penalties. Wall-Mart Stores Inc. posted a gross income of $116.67 billion for 2013.