The nation-wide pharmacy and drug store chain CVS has recently agreed to pay fines totaling eight hundred thousand dollars for recycling and hazardous waste violations that occurred at their retail locations in several towns in Connecticut.

Several inspections conducted by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for the state of Connecticut at these stores identified that toxic photo processing chemicals and unsold pharmaceuticals were being improperly handled and disposed of and that stores were not adhearing to the state’s recycling regulations.

Officials from CVS agreed to pay three hundred thousand dollars in penalties and another five hundred thousand dollars to fund state based environmental clean up, materials handling, and education projects.

CVS also is required to strengthen its environmental practices including their education and training programs for handling hazardous waste materials. The stores that were cited will be subjected to unannounced inspection audits to monitor compliance with the regulations.

This issue is not a new one for CVS. In 2012, the chain agreed to pay close to fourteen million dollars to settle a California lawsuit pertaining to hazardous waste dumping.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Does your business handle hazardous or toxic waste? If it does, you want to make sure that you are staying up to date and practicing the regulations for handling and disposal. Why be subjected to huge fines and negative publicity when you can simply follow the law?