A small number of twenty-five California counties-including Los Angeles, Alameda, San Joaquin, and San Francisco-have filed a lawsuit against Tesla and Elon Musk, the company's CEO, on the grounds that hazardous waste was improperly handled at many locations around the state.
The lawsuit, filed in California state court on Tuesday, seeks civil penalties and an injunction mandating Tesla to adopt proper waste management practices in the future, as per to The Guardian.
Tesla Faces Hazardous Waste Lawsuit in California
GRUENHEIDE, GERMANY - JULY 17: A stop sign stands near the Tesla logo at the Tesla factory on July 17, 2023 near Gruenheide, Germany. Tesla will reportedly present its plans tomorrow to expand production at the factory, from thee current level of approximately 250,000 cars per year to one million. The plan calls for the construction of a new assembly hall that will be the size of 60 soccer fields, which is likely to draw opposition from local communities.
The complaint, lodged in San Joaquin County Superior Court, accuses Tesla of inadequate labeling and disposal of materials such as lead acid batteries, various batteries, paints, brake fluid, aerosols, antifreeze, acetone, and diesel fuel at its production and service facilities throughout California. The legal action contends that Tesla improperly disposed of waste both on-site and at landfills not equipped to handle hazardous materials.
District attorneys representing each county are pursuing an injunction to compel Tesla to appropriately manage waste at its facilities moving forward, along with the imposition of civil penalties. The potential financial liability for Tesla could reach up to $70,000 per violation per day, according to Reuters, the first to report on the lawsuit.
Tesla had previously disclosed in a 2022 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it was under investigation by district attorney offices in California over its waste management practices.
The company asserted that it had implemented corrective measures, including training, audits, and enhancements to its waste management programs. In October 2023, Tesla acknowledged being in settlement talks with district attorney offices, but the recent lawsuit suggests that those discussions concluded without a resolution, according to TechCrunch.
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Tesla's Environmental Penalties
This legal action follows Tesla's previous environmental scrutiny, particularly concerning its Fremont, California factory. In 2019, the company settled with the Environmental Protection Agency for violations, including hazardous waste labeling, resulting in a $31,000 fine and a $55,000 expenditure on emergency response equipment. In 2022, Tesla paid a $275,000 fine for Clean Air Act violations at the same factory.
The lawsuit accuses Tesla of breaching state unfair business and hazardous waste management laws by improperly labeling waste and depositing materials in landfills not authorized for hazardous substances. California law allows for potential civil penalties as high as $70,000 per violation per day.
The waste materials involved in the alleged violations encompass paint materials, brake fluids, used batteries, antifreeze, and diesel fuel. The lawsuit identifies as many as 101 facilities, including Tesla's manufacturing plant in Fremont, where these violations are claimed to have occurred.
Additional facts about the case were not immediately provided by the interested nations' representatives. Requests for comment from Tesla on the topic have not yet received a response. This lawsuit furthers Tesla's experience in addressing claims about its hazardous waste management procedures, underscoring the need for the business to resolve environmental compliance issues, Automotive News reported.
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