The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revealed a settlement with Apple over breaches of federal hazardous waste legislation, leading to a penalty of $261,283. This settlement follows investigations carried out by the EPA at Apple’s Scott Boulevard site in Santa Clara, California, which uncovered several issues related to hazardous waste management and air emissions.
As stated in the EPA’s press release, the facility produces hazardous waste subject to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Inspections in August 2023 and January 2024 were initiated due to a public tip-off and complaint, resulting in the identification of multiple infractions. Among these were failures to adequately characterize hazardous waste, pinpoint land disposal restriction needs, uphold essential permits for hazardous waste storage, regulate air emissions from a solvent waste tank, label and date hazardous waste containers, comply with container management protocols, and carry out daily inspections of hazardous waste tanks.
In light of these violations, Apple has implemented corrective measures, including adjusting its solvent waste processes and installing an air emissions control device. An EPA representative highlighted the significance of hazardous waste regulations as protective measures for workers, communities, and the environment, indicating that the agency’s actions are designed to safeguard human health and the environment in Santa Clara.
This event marks not Apple’s initial run-in with hazardous waste infractions in California. In 2016, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control penalized the company $450,000 for electronic waste violations at its Cupertino and Sunnyvale sites, where it managed nearly two million pounds of e-waste without the necessary regulatory notifications.
