Tesla factories breaking environmental laws, says report

Tesla factory is second only to the Chevron oil-gas refinery, in terms of releasing pollutants.

According to a media report, Tesla's gigafactories have been releasing toxic pollutants over the permissible limits into the surrounding communities.

The investigation used public record requests to view emails between Tesla & regulators, interviewed former employees and even obtained documents including a letter sent by a whistleblower to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The investigation also found that corporate bosses were aware of the fact that the factory was polluting outside of regulations. Employees also expressed fear they would lose their jobs if they reported environmental issues.

Reports state how Tesla's factory in Freemont, California, has accumulated more warnings for violating air pollution laws in the last 5 years, than any other factory in California. The report even mentions how the Tesla factory is second only to the Chevron oil-gas refinery, in terms of releasing pollutants.

The investigation also mentions how the door to Tesla's giant casting furnace in its Texas plant, wouldn't shut. The open-door furnace used to melt metal to be moulded to make Model Y parts ended up spewing toxins into the air and raising temperatures on the factory floor to as high as 100 degrees. Also, reports state that hazardous wastewater from production flowed untreated into the city's sewers, in violation of the guidelines.

Source: WSJ