Waste Disposal : US-beauty company fined for improper waste disposal
The responsible district and city attorneys have reached a settlement with US-cosmetics company Ulta Beauty for improperly storing, handling and disposing hazardous materials. The company is paying $ 750.000 in fines and implement a compliance program to ensure proper disposal of hazardous materials in the future.
After information about the company's practice of disposing hazardous waste in regular dumpsters, district and city attorneys from the San Francisco and Monterey Bay Area filed a complaint stating that Ulta Beauty stores across the state frequently handled flammable, toxic, reactive and corrosive materials like nail polish, cosmetics, and electronics and allegedly improperly disposed of them in standard trash containers rather than transporting them to a designated, legal hazardous waste facility. Apparently Ulta Beauty stores also failed to document and store hazardous waste materials. Furthermore employees were not trained to handle and dispose of them.
“Companies must be held responsible for business practices that pose a harm to the environment,” Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton said in a statement. “Ulta was cooperative throughout the investigation and in correcting the issues.”