Walgreens whacked for eco-violations

Eight Butte County Walgreens stores—including the three in Chico—were part of a recently settled lawsuit resulting in Illinois-based Walgreen Co. being ordered to pay $16.57 million in civil costs and penalties for illegally dumping hazardous waste and confidential customer medical information, according to a press release from Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey.

The judgment, ordered by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill, was the culmination of a June civil lawsuit charging that more than 600 Walgreens stores illegally “handled and disposed of various hazardous wastes and materials…, including pesticides, bleach, paint, aerosols, automotive products and solvents, pharmaceutical and bio-hazardous wastes and other toxic, ignitable and corrosive materials,” the press release read.

Also at issue was the unlawful disposal of “customer records containing medical information without preserving the confidentiality of the information therein.”