A $3.15 million settlement has been reached between several California district attorneys and three major pest control companies—Clark Pest Control of Stockton, Orkin Services of California, and Crane Pest Control—over allegations of improper disposal of pesticides and hazardous waste.
The agreement addresses claims that the companies disposed of pesticides and other hazardous materials in trash bins bound for landfills not authorized to accept such waste. The settlement also resolves accusations that the firms improperly discarded customer records containing private information.
“The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to ensuring companies are held accountable for conduct that endangers the environment and our citizens,” said District Attorney Diana Becton.
An investigation led by the district attorneys from Contra Costa and San Mateo counties began in 2021. From March 2021 through February 2022, undercover inspections were conducted at 22 Clark and Orkin facilities across California. Investigators examined 40 dumpsters and found thousands of items disposed of unlawfully, including pesticide containers with various substances, hazardous batteries, e-waste, hand sanitizers, adhesives, cleaning solutions, as well as numerous customer records with personal information that had not been properly destroyed.
Following notification from prosecutors about these violations, Clark and Orkin cooperated fully with authorities and promptly updated their policies to improve waste management practices and protect customer privacy.
Under the terms of the final judgment, Clark Pest Control, Orkin Services of California, and Crane Pest Control will pay $2.017 million in civil penalties; $400,000 for Supplemental Environmental Projects; $333,000 to cover investigative costs; and receive a $400,000 credit for implementing Supplemental Environmental Compliance Measures.
The companies must also comply with a permanent injunction requiring significant operational reforms over at least five years. These measures include hiring a third-party auditor to inspect dumpsters at a minimum of 10% of their facilities annually; reporting audit findings to prosecutors; ensuring all facility employees complete training on proper hazardous waste management; maintaining proof of training for three years; and dedicating at least two thousand hours per year toward enhanced environmental compliance activities such as compliance reviews and oversight efforts.
District attorneys from Alameda, Santa Clara, Monterey, San Joaquin, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura counties joined those from Contra Costa and San Mateo in bringing this case forward (Case No. C25-03346).
