Update: WA fines Walmart and Amazon, saying they sold illegal, polluting products

The Washington state Department of Ecology is fining the nation’s two largest retailers more than $1.1 million for selling climate-polluting products, the state announced Thursday.

Amazon was penalized $800,068, and Walmart was penalized $383,388.

The fines came after repeated warnings and extensive efforts over the course of several years to help the companies comply with the law, said the Department of Ecology.

It accuses both companies of illegally selling climate-polluting cooling and refrigeration products.

However, Walmart told the Tri-City Herald that it had rules in place on walmart.com to prevent the sale of products with hydrofluorocarbons in Washington.

Amazon told the Tri-City Herald that the products have been removed.

“We have worked in good faith with the Washington Department of Ecology to improve our controls for bulk hydrofluorocarbons, remove noncompliant products, and educate third-party sellers, who are responsible for the majority of sales at issue, about their compliance obligations,” it said in a statement.

The Washington state Legislature passed a series of laws in 2019 and 2021 with the goal of phasing out the use of refrigerant and cooling products containing hydrofluorocarbons.

Hydrofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases that trap hundreds to thousands of times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, according to the Department of Ecology. They contain chemicals made up of hydrogen, fluorine and carbon.

Most businesses stopped selling the restricted products to Washington companies as the Department of Ecology began notifying businesses about the new laws in November 2021.

“Industry is already shifting towards more climate-friendly refrigerants, and we need to make sure that there is a level playing field as we go through this transition,” said Joel Creswell, manager for Ecology’s Climate Pollution Reduction program, in a statement.

However, Amazon and Walmart continued selling motor vehicle air conditioning recharge cans containing a prohibited refrigerant called R‑134a, the Department of Ecology alleged.

Air conditioning recharge cans are used to refill leaky air conditioning systems in cars and trucks, rather than repairing a leak.

Their use can allow R-134a to escape into the atmosphere, where it has a warming effect 1,430 times higher than carbon dioxide, according to the Department of Ecology. A single 16-ounce can of R-134a has the same impact as driving about 1,500 miles, it said.

“Climate change is jeopardizing the health, safety and prosperity of our communities, and because they’re so powerful, phasing out hydrofluorocarbons is one of the most cost-effective actions we can take to address climate change,” Creswell said.

Amazon and WalMart each have 30 days to pay the fines or to file an appeal with Washington’s Pollution Control Hearings Board.

“We are continuing to improve our processes and remain engaged with the Department of Ecology,” Walmart said in a statement.

Amazon said all products sold are required to comply with laws and regulations, including Washington hydrofluorocarbon laws.

This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 2:04 PM.