Los Angeles, January 31, 2024, The Europe Today: A group of 25 California counties, including Los Angeles, Alameda, San Joaquin, and San Francisco, have filed a lawsuit against Tesla, led by Elon Musk, alleging mishandling of hazardous waste at the company’s facilities across the state.
The lawsuit, filed in California state court, claims that Tesla violated state unfair business and hazardous waste management laws by improper labeling and disposal of waste materials. The counties seek civil penalties and an injunction requiring Tesla to appropriately manage waste in the future. The lawsuit alleges violations at up to 101 facilities, including Tesla’s manufacturing plant in Fremont.
Tesla has not yet responded to the lawsuit, which accuses the company of improper disposal of materials such as paint, brake fluids, used batteries, antifreeze, and diesel fuel. California’s hazardous waste management law carries potential civil penalties of up to $70,000 per violation per day. This is not the first time Tesla has faced allegations related to hazardous waste management; the company settled with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2019 and 2022 over similar violations at its Fremont plant.
