A judge has ordered the owner of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods to pay $2.8 million to settle allegations more than 280 of its stores in California improperly disposed of hazardous waste.
The order by a Monterey County judge against The TJX Companies, Inc. was announced Tuesday by 37 California district attorneys and city attorneys, including San Diego's DA Bonnie Dumanis and City Attorney Jan Goldsmith.
Prosecutors say state and county inspectors examined trash bins at the retailers' stores in California, and found more than 286 branches improperly disposed of batteries, cosmetics, mercury lamps, personal care products, aerosol spray cans and other ignitable and toxic materials.
The violations allegedly happened over five and a half year period.
TJX has 25 stores in San Diego County, and all of them were investigated by the county's Department of Environmental Health.
A call after hours to Massachusetts-based The TJX Companies was not answered.
Prosecutors say the company cooperated with the probe and has since introduced proper disposal policies at branches statewide. Stores are required to put their hazardous waste in segregated, labeled containers.
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As for the settlement, TJX must pay $2.4 million for civil penalties and costs. Another $375,000 will fund other environmental projects, Dumanis says.
