United Parcel Service and affiliates ordered to pay $1.7M in penalties for environmental violations
Cynthia White
RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – United Parcel Services, Inc., UPS Supply Chain Solutions, General Services, Inc., and UPS Supply Chain Solutions, Inc. (collectively “UPS”) has been ordered to pay $1.745 million as settlement in a civil lawsuit alleging unlawful disposal of hazardous waste and medical waste.
Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin along with 44 District Attorneys around the state announced the settlement Monday, saying that the amount covers $1.4 million in civil penalties, $140,000 in costs, and $205,000 in Supplemental Environmental Projects.
Hestrin says Riverside County will receive $230,000 in civil penalties and $25,000 in cost recovery as part of the settlement.
The judgment in the lawsuit is a result of an investigation into the waste disposal by UPS over the last several years at its 140 facilities, including ten facilities in Riverside County.
The lawsuit alleges that UPS unlawfully disposed of hazardous and medical waste in regular trash bins and took it to local landfills that were not permitted to receive such waste. The waste included, but was not limited to, ignitable, reactive, toxic and corrosive materials, and items containing Drug Facts.
In his announcement, Hestrin says that UPS cooperated with prosecutors during the investigation and the company has since implemented improved waste management practices and employee training to improve their handling of California regulated hazardous waste and medical waste.
Hestrin adds that all California businesses are required to properly dispose of hazardous waste and medical waste that is generated in the normal course of business and to manage such waste in separate labeled containers to ensure that incompatible waste does not mix and cause dangerous chemical reactions or harm to the environment.
The DA’s Offices involved in the investigation include Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, and Yolo. The judgment was entered in San Joaquin County Superior Court on July 25, 2025. Deputy District Attorney Lauren R. Martineau of the Environmental Protection Team handled the case for Riverside County.