Federal regulators say Apple violated hazardous waste laws at one of its Silicon Valley facilities, leading to a settlement after inspections revealed lapses in handling and storage practices.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday that the tech giant's Santa Clara site failed to properly identify, store and label hazardous waste, among other violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Apple agreed to pay a $261,283 penalty and has since come into compliance, the EPA said.
Inspections were conducted in August 2023 and January 2024 after the agency received a tip from the public.
"Hazardous waste regulations serve as critical safeguards for facility workers, communities, and the environment," Amy Miller, director of the EPA's Pacific Southwest Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division, said in a statement. "EPA's actions will protect human health and the environment in the community of Santa Clara from the risk of hazardous waste."
According to the EPA, Apple's violations included failing to maintain a permit to store hazardous waste for more than 90 days, to control air emissions from a solvent waste tank and to perform daily inspections of waste containers.
The agency said Apple has since corrected the problems by improving waste management, labeling procedures and emissions controls.
The EPA said its inspections were prompted by a "tip and complaint from the public."
The inspections followed a June 2023 complaint from former Apple...
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