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Wal-Mart Agrees to Storm Water Settlement; Pledges Cooperation With Connecticut DEP

Posted on: Monday, 15 August 2005, 15:00 CDT

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Wal-Mart has signed a storm water settlement agreement with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection concerning alleged violations at 20 Wal-Mart stores and two SAM'S CLUB locations in the state.

Under the agreement, Wal-Mart will pay $600,000 in civil penalties for violations alleged to have taken place between 1996 and 2003. Wal-Mart also will contribute $550,000 to two different supplemental environmental projects -- $500,000 to assist municipalities in addressing storm water issues, and $50,000 for environmental projects in the Connecticut River Watershed.

"Wal-Mart pledges to cooperate fully with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection to avoid issues of this type in the future," said Del Sloneker, senior vice president of operations, Wal-Mart Stores Division. "We have made a major effort to address environmental concerns at our stores in Connecticut. We will continue to do all we can to assure that our associates in these stores not only know the environmental laws of the state but comply with them consistently and actively."

In recent years, Wal-Mart has: * Installed new trash compactors at most Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB locations. These compactors have specially designed seals that prevent leaks. * Trained store associates in Department of Environmental Protection storm water requirements. * Distributed to stores an updated spill guidance poster to assist store associates in handling spills of oil or hazardous material. * Posted signs about battery recycling and pesticide application to help consumers handle these items properly. * Provided an Environmental Management Guidance Manual to the stores that includes environmental requirements and guidance. * Provided additional pesticide warning signs to stores for distribution to customers. * Installed oil/water separators at seven new stores. * Implemented new policies requiring that lawn and garden chemicals be stored under a cover or roof.

"Clearly we've done a lot in Connecticut to address the issues cited by the Department of Environmental Protection," said Sloneker. "By continuing to work closely with the DEP, we will do our part to protect the natural resources of Connecticut."

Sloneker was quick to point out that Wal-Mart has taken many proactive steps to protect the environment at the national level as well:

Zero-tolerance storm water program * In February, Wal-Mart -- one of the largest developers in the United States, with more than 330 stores opened in 2004, and 375 scheduled to open in 2005 -- announced a zero-tolerance storm water program. Wal-Mart now requires that any firm bidding on a Wal-Mart contract send its project managers and superintendents through the Wal-Mart certification program. An EPA-approved storm water training program * In July of 2004, Wal-Mart established its EPA-approved Storm Water Professional Training program. Wal-Mart has since certified more than 2,600 general contractor superintendents and project managers along with Wal-Mart construction managers and other in-house personnel. Acres for America * This spring Wal-Mart announced "Acres for America," a first-of-its- kind partnership between Wal-Mart and the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation. Through a $35 million, 10-year grant, Wal-Mart will support the permanent protection of the nation's most sensitive wildlife habitats. Over the next 10 years, Wal-Mart, the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation, and national conservation partners will permanently conserve one acre of priority wildlife habitat for every developed acre of Wal-Mart's current footprint, estimated at 88,000 acres, as well as the company's future development over the next 10 years, bringing the total to 138,000 acres. McKinney, Texas, experimental store * To learn more about how Wal-Mart and the entire industry can improve in the area of sustainability, Wal-Mart opened in July an experimental store, which includes solar panels, a bio-fuel boiler, special refrigeration units, wind socks for air distribution and many other environmental features. Another experimental store is slated to open in Aurora, Colo., later this year. The goal is to: - reduce the amounts of energy and natural resources required to operate and maintain the store. - reduce the raw materials needed to construct the facility - use renewable materials, when appropriate, to construct and maintain the facility. Recycling programs * In 2004 Wal-Mart recycled more than 2.8 million tons of cardboard, 9,416 tons of plastic, 262 million aluminum cans, glass containers and plastic bottles and 49 million disposable cameras. Plastic Sandwich Bale program * Wal-Mart has partnered with Rocky Mountain Recycling and has developed a new patent-pending process called the "Plastic Sandwich Bale" to reduce waste from stores and allow customers to recycle plastic bags that are not currently handled by curb-side recycling. Wal-Mart launched a pilot program in September of 2004 in 326 stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM'S CLUB locations in the United States. Internationally, the company operates in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company's securities are listed on the New York and Pacific stock exchanges under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartfacts.com/ . Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com/ .

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010831/WALMARTLOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

CONTACT: Marty Heires of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., +1-479-273-4314

Web site: http://www.walmart.com/http://www.walmartfacts.com/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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