American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, owned by businessman Elon Musk, agreed to pay $1.5 million to settle the lawsuit filed by 25 counties in California. The plaintiffs accused the company of hazardous waste disposal violations statewide. reports Reuters.
According to the lawsuit, Tesla mislabeled waste such as paint, spent batteries and diesel fuel at its California facilities and then sent those loads to landfills not designed to handle such items.
The lawsuit alleged that the company violated state negligence and hazardous waste management laws at 101 facilities, including Tesla’s Fremont factory. Recognized as the most efficient automotive manufacturing facility in the United States in 2021.
The company did not admit wrongdoing but said it was willing to pay counties a $1.3 million fine and another $200,000 to cover the costs of the investigation.
Tesla also promised to take measures to properly manage waste and to hire a third-party auditor to audit these processes for five years.
Previously Elon Musk’s company Neuralink caught in the illegal transportation of lethally dangerous goods.