Calif. AG sues Target for illegal dumping

Oakland, Calif. California state and local officials are suing Target Corp., accusing the retailer of dumping hazardous waste in landfills around the state.

Attorney General Jerry Brown, 20 district attorneys and the Los Angeles city attorney jointly filed a complaint Monday in Alameda County Superior Court, claiming that more than 200 Target stores have been dumping waste such as flammable aerosol canisters, propane canisters and corrosive spray cleaners into landfills for the past eight years.

Target spokeswoman Bethany Zucco says the company has been following all state environmental laws.

In May, the state reached an $8.65 million settlement with Kmart Corp. over similar allegations. The deal requires Kmart to properly store its waste and retrain its workers.