Federal authorities proposed another fine against Amazon.com this week over allegations that the e-retailer violated rules regarding handling of hazardous materials.
According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, workers at a FedEx facility near Chicago discovered that an Amazon shipment en route from Ruskin, Fla., to Algonquin, Ill., in early August was leaking.
The package contained two 14-ounce bottles of Clubman Jeris Hair Tonic, an ethanol-based, flammable liquid.
The FAA alleged that the shipment was improperly packaged, marked and labeled, and that Amazon did not provide required shipping details and emergency response information. The agency proposed a $78,000 civil penalty against the company.
The allegations follow three fines proposed in June against Amazon due to alleged hazardous materials violations. Those penalties totaled $480,000.
Amazon reiterated its position that the company uses sophisticated equipment to help "detect potential shipping hazards" and continues to improve those systems.
“We will continue to partner with the FAA in this area," a spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal.
