A California court has ordered 57 car dealerships and collision centers that operate as subsidiaries of AutoNation to pay nearly $3.5 million in penalties for illegally disposing of hazardous material.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Tuesday the fines imposed by an Alameda County court settle an environmental protection lawsuit brought by eight California district attorneys.
The case stemmed from a 2013 investigation by the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health that found the dealerships and collision centers were illegally disposing of motor oil, electronic waste and partially-full aerosols.
The court also ordered AutoNation dealerships in California to have a full-time environmental director monitoring compliance training.
AutoNation is the country’s largest new car retailer.
