Sept. 5, 2014: EPA and DOJ Announce Settlement with Costco to Cut Refrigerant Emissions
Government Says Costco Failed to Repair Leaks of R-22 Refrigerant Between 2004 and 2007
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have announced a settlement with Costco Wholesale Corp. in which the company agrees to pay $335,000 in penalties for federal Clean Air Act violations and improve refrigerant management at 274 stores at an estimated cost of $2 million over the next three years.
According to EPA and DOJ, Costco violated the federal Clean Air Act by failing to repair leaks of R-22 refrigerant between 2004 and 2007. Costco also failed to keep adequate records of the servicing of its refrigeration equipment, as required by the Clean Air Act to prevent leaks.