Target Corp., one of the leading largest departmental store chains in the U.S. has reportedly reached a settlement in which it will be paying $7.4 million for the improper dumping of hazardous waste ranging from batteries to syringes and drugs into landfills.

The settlement was made with Riverside County District Attorney's Office while terms of the settlement were negotiated in the Alameda County Superior Court with Judge Ioana Petrou certifying the final terms. For the record, it is the second such agreement with the retail giant over the last decade regarding environmental breaches in California which stemmed from a civil complaint.

According to Valley News, prosecutors revealed that between 2012 and 2016 Target store employees throughout California disposed waste products including batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs, aerosol cans and pharmaceuticals products like syringes in improper manner. Random searches of the trash receptacles of stores revealed 175 items that contained confidential medical information of customers were discarded without shredding. Both the dumping of hazardous waste and the negligent disposal of medical records are in violation of California Health & Safety and Civil codes, sources said.

Under the terms of the settlement Target will be paying $3.2 million in civil penalties, $300,000 as funds for supplemental environmental projects started by various companies, $900,000 as attorneys' fees and also other investigation related costs. Besides the company has to randomly audit several facilities, conduct three annual inspections at the California outlets to check compliance with regulations and report its conclusions to the local prosecutors as well as Department of Justice.

Incidentally most of the offenses were exposed during compliance inspections arising during Target's prior settlement in 2011 with the state attorney general and several county district attorney's offices as well as with the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles. In the previous lawsuit that was settled for $22.5 million it was determined that between 2001 and 2009 the company had repetitively committed environmental violations.