Robots work on Tesla Model S cars at the Tesla factory in Fremont. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
(KRON) — Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price on Friday joined a coalition of district attorneys across the state to pay Tesla $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated California's Environmentally Hazardous Waste Control Act. He announced that he agreed.
A San Joaquin County judge has issued a settlement order against Elon Musk's electric vehicle technology company. Tesla was accused of illegally disposing of hazardous waste at its Fremont factory, as well as at 57 electric vehicle service centers and 18 solar energy facilities across California. Tesla's lawyers admitted no wrongdoing.
“Electric vehicles have the potential to benefit the environment, but electric vehicle manufacturing and servicing is
“Cars continue to generate many hazardous waste streams,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
The civil settlement resolves an investigation that spanned nearly six years. “While Tesla has denied any wrongdoing, this settlement and injunction ensure that Tesla follows environmental laws,” Price said.
“We are pleased that Tesla was willing to work closely with the consumer group investigators.”
The Department of Justice took early steps to prevent further damage at the Fremont manufacturing plant.
It prevents hazardous automotive and manufacturing waste from going to landfills,” Price said.
The investigation was initiated by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office's Environmental Bureau.
The department in 2018 when investigators conducted an undercover inspection of a Tesla dumpster at an auto service center.
Alameda County investigators joined in 2019, conducting an undercover inspection of Tesla's dumpsters at its Fremont manufacturing plant. Price's office said the inspections uncovered hazardous auto waste that would have been illegally dumped in local county landfills.
Investigators said they found weld spatter, waste paint and contaminated debris from metal car panels at the Fremont plant.
As part of the settlement, the judge ordered Tesla to pay $1.3 million in civil penalties and $200,000 in reimbursement for investigation costs.
Tesla is also seeking a five-year injunction requiring the tech company to properly train its waste disposal employees on hazardous waste management laws and hire a third-party consultant to conduct annual waste audits at its Fremont factory. You must also obey orders.
