According to The Wall Street Journal, employees at Tesla's Austin factory were forced to work for several months in temperatures as high as +38°C and in a "constant haze" due to a malfunctioning giant furnace door — all while the company "ignored the issue, ramping up production of the Tesla Model Y in 2022".
Workers interviewed by the WSJ reported that conditions worsened due to “pollutant emissions” escaping through the partially open furnace door. While Tesla management allegedly disregarded employee complaints as insignificant, other staff did not report issues for fear of potential job loss.
The publication also states that Tesla reportedly discharged hazardous wastewater containing paint, oil, and other chemicals into the municipal sewer system during that time.
WSJ notes that the conclusions presented in the article were drawn after a detailed review of emails between Texas regulators and Tesla, as well as interviews with former employees and other documents, including a letter sent by a whistleblower to the Environmental Protection Agency. Tesla has not yet responded to media inquiries for comments.
This is not the first instance where Elon Musk's companies have been suspected of harming the environment. In September, SpaceX was fined nearly $150,000 for dumping wastewater into wetlands near its Texas launch site back in 2022, and in February, Tesla paid $1.5 million to settle a lawsuit alleging improper handling of hazardous waste at its California plants. There have also been concerns regarding the transportation of hazardous substances by Neuralink.
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