3 Of the Largest Pest Control Companies Found Liable in Illegal Dumping of Toxins Into The Environment

3 Pest control companies in California  were found liable resulting in a settlement of $3.15 Million for dumping toxic waste into unauthorized landfills.

The firms — Clark Pest Control of Stockton, Orkin Services of California, and Crane Pest Control — were accused of disposing pesticide containers filled with liquids, foams, baits, pellets, aerosol sprays, and other hazardous materials into regular trash bins destined for ordinary landfills rather than proper hazardous-waste facilities.

Investigators say that during unannounced audits from March 2021 through February 2022, waste from more than 70 facilities operated by the companies was found in dozens of dumpsters across 22 locations statewide in addition to toxic pesticide waste, they also allegedly tossed thousands of customer service orders, contracts, invoices and route reports — containing sensitive personal information — into regular trash instead of shredding or otherwise destroying them in compliance with California privacy laws.

As part of the settlement, the companies must pay the $3.15 million total — which includes $2,017,000 in civil penalties, plus additional funds for environmental compliance projects, investigative costs, and credits for compliance measures. The agreement also imposes a five-year injunction requiring significant reforms: a third-party auditor will inspect at least 10% of dumpsters annually, staff must undergo training on proper hazardous-waste handling, and the firms must dedicate at least 2,000 hours per year toward waste-management oversight and compliance.