Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Media Contact: Barbara Skoglund, 651-296-5965 Technical Contact: Rebecca Walter, 651-296-3552 Saint Paul, Minn. -- The federal Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis has agreed to modify its procedures and pay a $45,655 civil penalty to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for alleged hazardous waste violations. The VA Medical Center generates a wide variety of hazardous waste including pharmaceuticals, solvents, chemotherapy agents, laboratory waste and several other chemicals. Inspections in April 2004 and September 2005 found several violations of hazardous waste disposal regulations. The VA Medical Center failed to properly evaluate its waste, update its hazardous waste license and label and store hazardous waste containers properly. Among other problems, MPCA and Hennepin County staff also documented the improper disposal of pharmaceuticals, chemotherapy agents, laboratory wastes and other hazardous waste. Some hazardous wastes were improperly burned in the facility's incinerator. An agreement between the VA Medical Center and the MPCA resolves these problems. In addition to the civil penalty, the VA must start managing of all hazardous waste properly and stop burning inappropriate waste. It has submitted evaluation and management plans and must follow the terms of its hazardous waste license. The facility has stopped using its on-site incinerator. Stipulation agreements such as this are one of the tools used by the MPCA to achieve compliance with environmental laws. When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment, whether it is a first time or repeat violation and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities. It also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner. For a comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA, go to the agency Web site at hhref="/newscenter/enforcement.html.