Airline Fined $8 Million Over Toxic Hazard

American Airlines pleaded guilty to illegally storing a 55-gallon drum of flammable pesticide and other hazardous chemicals at the Miami airport and agreed to pay an $8-million fine. The airline kept the pesticide dioxital in a storage area even after Miami-Dade County fire officials told American to get rid of it when some of it spilled and caused a fire, U.S. Atty. Thomas Scott said. Scott said it is the first time a major U.S. airline has pleaded guilty to a federal hazardous-waste felony. “This is not our proudest day,” said Don Carty, chairman and chief executive of American’s parent, AMR Corp. AMR stock fell $1.19 to close at $67.25 on the NYSE.