As part of what it calls “it’s commitment to rigorous enforcement,” the U.S. Department of Energy is fining 27 companies over $3.5 million for selling products without certifying that they meet energy and water efficiency standards, DOE announced Monday.
The companies, which include manufacturers, importers and resellers of appliances and plumbing and lighting products, can reduce their fines if they comply with certification requirements within 30 days.
If the companies fail to meet the certification requirements in 30 days, DOE said it will file actions either in the United States District Court or with an Administrative Law Judge to demand payment of the proposed penalties.
Sanyo Electronics has received the largest single fine of over $300,000 for failing to certify a number of refrigerator and freezer models. Other companies that received fines include Daewoo International, DeLonghi America, General Electric Appliances and Stiebel Eltron.
DOE said that its’ “aggressive energy efficiency enforcement” has resulted in 75 enforcement investigations and actions in the past year, including the 27 penalty cases. These investigations removed 66 products from the market that failed to meet federal energy efficiency standards, and lead to the certification of over 600,000 products, the agency said.
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