That expired mascara and broken eyeshadow palette you tossed in the trash? When Sephora did the same thing at scale across its California stores, it cost the beauty giant $775,000. The San Francisco-headquartered retailer has agreed to settle allegations that it illegally dumped hazardous makeup waste—everything from damaged cosmetics and nail care products to batteries and aerosol cans—straight into regular garbage bins instead of following proper disposal protocols.
Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho led the charge along with 24 other district and city attorneys across the state in filing a civil enforcement action against Sephora USA. The judgment, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court under case number 25CV020603, alleges the cosmetics giant mishandled waste that meets California's legal definitions of hazardous or medical waste, according to Sacramento County District Attorney's Office.
Breaking Down the Settlement
The numbers tell a sobering story. FOX40 reports that Sephora will pay $550,000 in civil penalties, $200,000 in cost recovery, and $25,000 to the Environmental Enforcement and Training Account managed by the California Environmental Protection Agency. Sacramento County will pocket $77,730 from the combined penalties and costs—one of the highest payouts among participating counties—while SFGATE notes San Francisco is set to receive just over $5,000.
"These continued enforcement efforts ensure businesses follow the law when it comes to handling hazardous waste," Ho stated. "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."
What Was in Those Dumpsters?
The complaint reveals troubling specifics. Items improperly disposed of included nail care products, fragrances, cosmetics, sunscreens, beauty tools with electronic devices, ignitable liquids, batteries, and aerosol products, according to SFGATE. Court documents allege the company failed to keep proper records of disposed items and didn't determine if products were used, recalled, expired, or damaged.
The waste "consisted largely of damaged, returned or expired items which could not be sold," prosecutors stated, emphasizing that these materials required special disposal procedures to prevent environmental harm.
Repeat Offender in the Regulatory Hot Seat
This isn't Sephora's first dance with California regulators. In 2022, the company shelled out $1.2 million to settle violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act, where it was accused of selling customer data without proper disclosure and ignoring opt-out requests, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The beauty retailer, which operates its North American headquarters at 525 Market Street in San Francisco's Financial District, is owned by French luxury conglomerate LVMH. In a statement to SFGATE, Sephora maintained it has "always handled hazardous waste in strict compliance with the Hazardous Waste Control Law," adding that it agreed to settle "without admitting wrongdoing" to move forward.
Part of a Broader Enforcement Push
Sephora's settlement is just the latest chapter in California's aggressive crackdown on retail waste violators. Last month, Walmart agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle similar allegations of illegally dumping hazardous waste—including batteries, aerosol cans, toxic cleaning supplies, and electronic waste—into municipal landfills, according to California Attorney General. Those violations stemmed from over 70 waste audits conducted between 2015 and 2021.
Earlier this year, Quest Diagnostics agreed to pay nearly $5 million for improperly disposing of hazardous waste, medical waste, and protected patient information at facilities statewide, with Sacramento County receiving $259,440 from that settlement.
When the Law Has Real Teeth
California's Hazardous Waste Control Law carries significant teeth. The law allows for monetary penalties of up to $70,000 per day for each continuing violation—a substantial increase from the pre-2018 limit of $25,000 per day, according to Hartman King PC. These escalating penalties reflect California's increasingly aggressive stance on environmental compliance, particularly within the retail sector.
The coordinated multi-jurisdiction approach also signals a strategic shift. By pooling resources across two dozen district and city attorney offices, California prosecutors can conduct more comprehensive investigations and apply greater pressure on large corporations to maintain proper waste management programs.
Why This Matters Now
The settlement, finalized in late September 2025, comes at a time when California regulators are intensifying scrutiny of how retailers handle the growing volume of returned, damaged, and expired products. The rise of e-commerce has dramatically increased product returns, creating new challenges for waste management—particularly when those products contain chemicals, batteries, or other hazardous materials.
For Sacramento County, the nearly $78,000 in settlement funds will go toward reimbursing prosecution costs and enhancing environmental enforcement efforts—money that DA Ho's office says will strengthen their ability to hold other businesses accountable for similar violations.
