Amazon Reaches $1.5 Million Settlement Over Plastic Products In California

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Amazon and nearly two dozen district attorneys in California have reached a $1.5 million settlement over claims the online retail giant sold plastic products with the misleading claim that they were biodegradable.

District attorneys announced the settlement on Wednesday. Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert was among the 23 district attorneys who reached the deal.

Her office said California law bans the sale of plastic products that carry terms such as "biodegradable" that imply they will break down in a landfill or other waste site. Lawmakers found such claims inherently misleading without caveats about how long the product will take to break down.

An Amazon spokesperson said in response to an email that the company has voluntarily complied with the laws for the past several years and they are pleased to bring the matter to conclusion.