Sephora to Pay $775,000 in Hazardous Waste Settlement with Sacramento DA and Statewide Prosecutors
The lawsuit was a collaboration of several district attorneys.
Sephora USA has agreed to pay $775,000 to settle allegations that it mishandled hazardous waste at its California retail stores, Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho announced Monday.
The settlement, filed as a judgment in Sacramento County Superior Court (Case No. 25CV020603), follows a civil enforcement action brought by Ho’s office in collaboration with 24 other district and city attorneys across the state.
Prosecutors alleged that Sephora failed to properly manage damaged, returned, or expired products that qualify as hazardous or medical waste under California law. The improperly handled items, officials said, could not be resold and required special disposal to prevent harm to the environment.
Under the terms of the judgment, Sephora will pay $550,000 in civil penalties, $200,000 in cost-recovery fees and $25,000 to the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Enforcement and Training Account. Sacramento County’s share of the combined penalties and costs is $77,730.
“These continued enforcement efforts ensure businesses follow the law when it comes to handling hazardous waste,” Ho said in a statement. “Our office is committed to protecting both the public and the environment, and we will hold companies accountable to ensure they operate responsibly and within the law.”
The settlement resolves all claims related to the alleged waste-handling violations but does not include an admission of wrongdoing by Sephora.
