Costco settles lawsuit over hazardous materials

Costco has agreed to pay $3.6 million to settle a lawsuit filed by 29 district attorneys accusing the big-box retailer of failing to properly store and dispose of hazardous materials at dozens of its outlets in California.

Over a five-year period, Costco employees didn’t label or sort hazardous materials that had sat unsold on shelves or that customers had returned, such as oven cleaner, bleach, pool chlorine, nicotine patches and batteries, according to the lawsuit.

Some materials were thrown out in the trash while others were left in stores indefinitely. State law requires that all hazardous materials be properly disposed of within 90 days.

Several of the stores where disposal was a problem were in the Bay Area, prosecutors said.

The suit was filed in Alameda County Superior Court on Wednesday and settled two days later.

“Costco officials cooperated with prosecutors and quickly came into compliance with hazardous waste management regulations,” said Ken Mifsud, senior deputy district attorney in Alameda County.

His boss, District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, said that “as a result of this investigation and prosecution, regulated waste produced by Costco stores in California must now be properly stored, handled, transported and disposed of.”

Costco representatives did not return calls seeking comment.