A large Bay Area car dealer, DGDG Automotive, will pay $290,000 to settle an environmental protection case that alleged the company unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste.

The civil complaint was filed by the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office in Santa Clara County Superior Court. Joined by four other local prosecutors, it was alleged that DGDG Automotive, LLC, also known as Del Grande Dealer Group, did not properly manage hazardous waste, such as brake parts cleaner, automotive fluids, and parts containing circuit boards. The settlement also resolves allegations that the company failed to redact or shred paperwork containing customer information, before throwing it away in the trash.

“Hazardous waste and documents containing confidential customer information must be disposed of properly to avoid harm to the environment and consumers,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. "It may be more expensive to do it, but it’s the law and it’s worth it.”

On July 29, a judge ordered $215,000 in civil penalties to be paid by DGDG, which does business at more than 16 locations in Northern California, including Capitol Volkswagen, Capitol Chevrolet, and Stevens Creek Mazda.

In addition to paying civil penalties, DGDG was ordered to pay approximately $50,000 for the cost of the investigation and $25,000 to help fund the training of California regulators.

DGDG was also ordered to designate an employee to manage and oversee its hazardous waste management and employee training programs. DGDG cooperated with prosecutors during the investigation and took significant steps to improve its compliance with the environmental and consumer protection violations brought to its attention.

The investigation began in 2021 when DA’s Office investigators conducted unannounced inspections of DGDG trash containers and found hazardous waste and pages of customer records. Additional inspections over the next year turned up violations at the company’s businesses in Alameda, Solano, Contra Costa and Monterey counties.