BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Nine District Attorney’s offices — including Kern County’s — have reached a $3.7 million settlement with The Pep Boys: Manny, Moe & Jack of California over allegations the auto parts and vehicle service company violated state laws regarding disposal of hazardous waste and materials.

Pep Boys is alleged in a lawsuit to have illegally disposed of automotive fluids, used motor oil and other hazardous waste into company waste bins headed to municipal landfills not authorized to accept hazardous waste, according to a Kern County District Attorney’s office release.

The suit also alleged Pep Boys failed to shred customer records containing confidential information before throwing them away.

Th settlement consists of $1.815 million in civil penalties, $260,000 for supplemental environmental projects and $425,000 for reimbursement of investigative and enforcement costs, according to the release.

Pep Boys will receive $1.2 million credit against the penalties if it undertakes at least $2.4 million in environmental enhancement work not required by law.

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer issued the following statement regarding the settlement:

“Laws governing the proper disposal and treatment of hazardous waste are designed to protect us all, and the District Attorney’s Environmental Enforcement Unit will continue to partner with other counties throughout the state to investigate and hold accountable companies that fall short of the law’s requirements.”

The Alameda County District Attorney’s office headed the investigation in which undercover inspections of waste bins at 19 Pep Boys locations found multiple instances of unlawful disposal of hazardous waste, according to the release.

Pep Boys officials have implemented policies and procedures to stop further illegal disposal of hazardous materials, the release says, including keeping hazardous waste in separate, labeled containers. State-registered haulers are removing the waste that was improperly dumped and taking it to proper disposal facilities.