Wal-Mart has agreed to pay $81.6 million for violating what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls “environmental crimes,” concluding a decades-long investigation by the agency and the FBI.
Wal-Mart settled with the EPA and the Justice Department in three criminal cases on Tuesday, for improperly disposing of hazardous waste and pesticides. The settlement is a result of cases brought by the DOJ in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Missouri, and a civil case filed by the EPA.
One federal prosecutor said she hopes the settlement will “send a message” to employers that they will be held accountable to the environment.
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