(Woodland, CA) – December 13, 2022 – On December 9, 2022, a $2.05 million stipulated judgment against The TJX Companies, Inc. (“TJX”) was entered by the Monterey County Superior Court in case number 22CV003142. This settles allegations that TJX, which is based in Massachusetts and owns approximately 340 T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods stores in California, unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste. Three TJX facilities are in Yolo County. Throughout the investigation, local environmental regulators assisted in the information gathering and the hazardous waste program review.
Prosecutors allege that TJX improperly disposed of hazardous waste into its regular trash bins that were destined for municipal landfills, which are not authorized to accept hazardous waste. The hazardous waste at issue in this matter included items such as aerosol cans, batteries, electronic devices, cleaning agents, and non-empty drug fact containing waste items, as well as other hazardous waste items generated through the company’s regular business activities.
This is the second settlement resolving allegations that TJX mismanaged hazardous waste at its California retail stores. In September of 2014, California prosecutors resolved similar violations by entering into a stipulated judgment for which TJX paid $2,777,500 in civil penalties, costs, and funding for supplemental environmental projects.
The current stipulated judgment requires TJX to pay an additional $2,050,000, which consists of $1,800,000 in civil penalties, $300,000 in supplemental environmental projects, and $250,000 in reimbursement of investigative and enforcement costs. In addition, the settlement includes provisions requiring TJX to continue to employ at least one California compliance employee to oversee its hazardous waste compliance program and to undergo waste audits in a portion of their California facilities to ensure hazardous
wastes are properly disposed of at all stores. The company must also continue to comply with injunctive requirements regarding hazardous waste management.
TJX worked cooperatively with prosecutors during the investigation. TJX, like all retail stores, is required to properly dispose of hazardous waste that is generated in the normal course of its retail business, and to manage such hazardous waste in labeled and segregated containers to ensure that incompatible wastes do not mix and cause dangerous chemical reactions.
###
