California Air Resources Board

SACRAMENTO – The California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced today that it has received a $106,337 settlement from Wal-Mart for the company's sale of 2,415 engines in California not certified to the state's clean air regulations.  

"We must vigilantly guard against uncertified products slipping into California," said ARB Executive Officer, Catherine Witherspoon. "Doing less would undermine efforts to reduce the smog problem in California."

During routine retail inspections, ARB found that Wal-Mart was distributing non-compliant small off-road engine powered products. These engines are power sources for gardening machinery including blowers and string trimmers. California Health and Safety Code states that a company or person responsible for the sale of non-compliant small off-road engines must pay a civil penalty. Wal-Mart reported that it had sold 2,415 of these units and agreed to pay a $106,337 settlement. The estimated excess emissions from the non-compliant units is 1.27 tons of ROG and NOx combined for the current year.

Money from the settlement has gone to the California Air Pollution Control Fund (APCF). The APCF is used to mitigate various sources of pollution through education and the advancement and use of cleaner technology.