The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) fined Lakeview Memorial Hospital in Stillwater $15,862 for improperly disposing of infectious waste.
On Dec. 11, 2025, a waste management facility rejected a load of waste from the hospital because it appeared to contain infectious waste. The facility notified the MPCA, which determined that the load contained infectious waste including liquid blood and other items contaminated with blood. The facility brought in a contractor to separate out the infectious waste and send it to a facility that specializes in disposal of infectious waste.
An MPCA investigation showed that the hospital failed to separate, label, and properly store its untreated infectious waste before sending it to the waste management facility. Under Minnesota law, all untreated infectious waste must be separated, properly labeled, and transported in a way that prevents release or harm to human health.
In addition to paying the fine, the hospital agreed to properly dispose untreated infectious waste and has submitted a detailed plan outlining procedural changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The MPCA is committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and limiting pollution and discharges from facilities. When facilities do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment. Since 2019, the MPCA has issued 8,419 enforcement actions amounting to more than $24 million in penalties. Penalty payments go into the MPCA's general fund, which enables the MPCA to protect communities and the environment from harmful pollution.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers a number of factors, including the seriousness of the violation, the potential for harm to human health or the environment, history of noncompliance, and the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws.