AutoZone settles suit for $1.5 million
By: North County Times wire services - | ∞
SAN DIEGO - District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced Friday a $1.5 million settlement with AutoZone Inc., which was accused of violating laws requiring the safe storage and disposal of hazardous waste, including motor oil, and sometimes failing to abide by advertised prices.
"AutoZone has agreed to an injunction which calls for substantial changes in their handling of hazardous material and waste products," Dumanis said. "They also will make changes to their prices policies which should protect consumers when they spend their money at one of these stores in the future."
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office joined with the California Attorney General's office and the district attorneys of San Bernardino, Monterey and San Joaquin counties to secure the settlement, which stems from a civil environmental and consumer protection enforcement action filed in June 2005.
The complaint alleged AutoZone violated provisions of the state Health and Safety Code requiring safe storage and disposal of hazardous materials and hazardous waste, mostly in the handling of used motor oil and abandoned waste products left in store parking lots and Dumpsters.
The state Department of Measurement Standards also discovered pricing errors in AutoZone's cash register scanners which, in some instances, resulted in consumers being charged more than the shelf price.
Along with the new pricing policies, AutoZone will pay a fine of $1 million, investigation and prosecution costs of $300,000, and contribute $200,000 to environmental training programs.
AutoZone has about 400 stores in California, 39 of which are located in San Diego County.
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No Surprise wrote on Jun 3, 2007 9:40 AM:Have you ever seen one of these stores? No one should be surprised about the mishandling of oil product waste in the parking lot scenario. Most of the people who frequent these stores are owners of 'beaters' that are in marginal disrepair requiring frequent crankcase oil top-offs. The parking lot trash cans are typically overflowing with the oil container empties from these scoundrels, not to mention other products like radiator stop-leak, etc. Frankly, it's pretty disgusting. Most of the employees of Auto Zone aren't much better either. Unless you're driving a Civic or an Integra, they aren't much help.
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