Legal Blog: Wal-Mart Sued For Dumping Hazardous Waste In Oklahoma

Wal-Mart has, unsurprisingly, been the target of more lawsuits than one can count over the years. The company’s treatment of its workers and “save money at all costs” mentality has resulted in a flood of legal challenges ranging from single plaintiff suits to multi-million dollar class actions. Dukes v. Wal-Mart is of course one large example (the largest class action in American history, actually), as are the myriad wage/hour/overtime class actions the company faces.

At Wal-Mart Watch will be focusing on one of these stories each week, highlighting those cases that warrant further attention because of the light each sheds in its own way on how Wal-Mart does business.

It looks like Wal-Mart’s been dumping dumping hazardous waste again. This time in Oklahoma.

The United States government and the State of Oklahoma filed a complaint in Federal Court on June 20, 2008, claiming that Wal-Mart, amongst other notorious companies (including “Worst Company in America 2008 nominees” Sears, American Airlines, and former nominee Halliburton), contributed hazardous waste to the Double Eagle Superfund site in Oklahoma City, OK.

“The United States and the State of Oklahoma bring this civil action under Sections 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (”CERCLA”), 42 U.S.C. 85 9607, and Title 27A O.S. 661-2-101, 1-3-101, and 2-3- 101 for recovery of response costs they have incurred, damages to natural resources, and declaratory relief as a result of releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances.”

Do you have a Wal-Mart near you? Wal-Mart has been charged with dumping the following chemicals into the Superfund site:

“Some of the contaminants of concern analyzed in the risk assessment included lead, arsenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ("’PAHs") and chlorinated hydrocarbons, heptachlor and chlordane, 1.2-dichloroethane, trichloroethylene ("TCE"), 1 ,l,l-Tetrachloroethane, 2-butanone, vinyl chloride, polychlorinated biphenyls ("PCBs"), and alkyl benzenes.”

The EPA is seeking damages of $30.4 million dollars in response costs for the site and the State of Oklahoma is seeking $1.3 million in unreimbursed response costs for cleanup and removal at the site.

Additionally, there is a claim of reasonable relief for damages and injury caused by the destruction and loss of wildlife, habitat, and natural resources in the area.

Ironically, the same day the suit was filed, Wal-Mart awarded two city mayors from Seattle, WA. and Carmel, IN. with their second annual Climate Protection Award. The award recognizes outstanding mayors for their innovative practices to increase energy efficiency in their cities in response to global warming.

Wal-Mart’s Sustainability program: …Give out Climate Protection Awards, don’t worry about winning any.

Read the complaint here.

Posted by Christina Clark on Friday, July 18, 2008

COMMENTS

who cares?

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Saturday, July 19 at 06:32 AM

Evidently neither you NOR WalMart.

ddrb in
Saturday, July 19 at 06:58 AM

ddrb i am going back into scientology in addition to my amway distributorship which do you think should come first in my life?

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Saturday, July 19 at 07:29 AM

Hey Matt old buddy, have you considered a career with the Hare Krishna? Hare Haaarree, Hare Haaree, Vishnu Vishnu, Hare Haaarre, Hare Haaree...don’t you remember? we had such a great time!!

bbrd in
Saturday, July 19 at 09:08 AM

m att hew: If you have to ask,it is obvious you require further “auditing”.

ddrb in
Saturday, July 19 at 10:02 AM

Hey Matt old buddy, have you considered a career with the Hare Krishna?

Obviously the FAS (fraud asshole squad) is making the rounds, again…

bbrd in
Saturday, July 19 at 10:04 PM

this time you are right bbrd as i have never considered you a friend.and i will not accept any more amway product returns from you either.just stay away from me just stay away.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Sunday, July 20 at 12:50 AM

someone is claiming they are me.you can tell by my posts the real me.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Sunday, July 20 at 04:16 AM

who cares?

m att hew vantress in gresham, oregon
Sunday, July 20 at 08:47 AM

Newsflash for m att hew vantress:

Of all the people in the world I could “claim to be,” you don’t make the top billion!

ScrewedbyWal-Mart in Anytown, America
Sunday, July 20 at 01:20 PM

AMERICAN AIRLINES IS sAAtan!

AA SUCKS! in
Monday, July 21 at 02:48 AM

really screwed?you are the biggest pile of shit on here like ken,ddrb and etc are too.

m att hew vantress in gresham,oregon
Wednesday, July 23 at 05:08 AM

i mean shut up all of you that would dare talk bad about walmart! you all must have something against trailer trash like me who enjoys stockpiling prepackaged snacks and entrees in my pantry in case armageddon is truly upon us. that guy that came to my door with pamphlets the other day told me it will happen soon and we need to be prepared. i invited him in for kool aid which I bought from my local walmart.

m att hew wantress in gresham, oregon
Friday, July 25 at 03:34 AM

really screwed?you are the biggest pile of shit on here like ken,ddrb...

Come on, Matty, you’re going to have to be more specific. I think I am the biggest. Screwed and Double D are big..but not as big as ME!

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence. ~ Robert Frost

Ken V in Texas
Saturday, July 26 at 11:45 AM

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence. ~ Robert Frost ~~~~~~~Ken.You evidently graduated top of the class)is it summa or magna cum laude?). Kudos to you for your style and wit.

ddrb in
Saturday, July 26 at 02:40 PM

This past week saw my generating a legal complaint from WalMart’s international scheister crowd in Miami. I must assert a degree of oneupmanship on the m att hew vantress scale of declarative ‘biggest pile of shit’. It breaks my heart to think that maybe m att hew just doesn’t read my stuff anymore.

etc in this past week going for the gold
Sunday, July 27 at 12:29 AM

...maybe m att hew just doesn’t read my stuff anymore.

He may not, but I do! You deserve the kudos and so does WMW. They could have capitualted but instead they covered your back.

And this whole thing with Chinese completely blows my mind, SDV. ^5!

The superior man understands what is right; the inferior man understands what will sell. ~ Confucius

Ken V in Texas
Sunday, July 27 at 10:56 AM

Ken V: I think this site has been indeed blessed to have you and SDV.What is that quote about a band of a few people making a difference?(BTW, THAT IS AWESOME,SDV!)

ddrb in
Monday, July 28 at 11:40 AM

...blessed to have you and SDV...

Are you flirting with us?

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

Ken V in Texas
Monday, July 28 at 12:11 PM

Ken V: I’m merely expressing the attitude of gratitude.....Ken, you know I don’t flirt........

ddrb in
Monday, July 28 at 01:39 PM

...you know I don’t flirt........

I know nothing of the kind!

Ken V in Texas
Monday, July 28 at 04:46 PM

Thanks for the encouragement Ken and ddrb. China now has approx. 284 million internet users between the ages of 18-24. Etymology and electronic translation with grammar structure review is going to make the Bentonville 精神病患者公司 (psychopath company) very unhappy. Bon appetit!

圣迭戈看法 in WalMart 是妓院
Monday, July 28 at 07:11 PM

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