The parent company of the Big Lots retail chain reached a legal settlement with Riverside County and 36 other California counties and cities in a case involving allegations of improper disposal of hazardous waste, it was announced Thursday.
Ohio-based Big Lots Stores, Inc. was ordered to pay $3.5 million in a civil suit over alleged violations of regulations related to the disposal of ignitable and corrosive liquids, toxic materials, batteries and waste from electronic devices, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Riverside County’s cut amounted to $40,500, which will go to the county’s consumer protection prosecution fund.
There were 13 Big Lots stores in Riverside County during the time period of the violations and the investigation, the D.A.’s Office reported.
After being alerted by prosecutors of the violations, “the company cooperated during the
subsequent investigation,” the D.A.’s office said.
The company already has adopted new policies and procedures to ensure proper disposal of hazardous waste, including the use of state-registered haulers to transport the waste to authorized disposal facilities, according to the D.A.’s office.
San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Bryan F. Foster signed off on the settlement on Friday.