Stillwater hospital fined for improperly disposed infectious medical waste

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency announced Wednesday that it fined Lakeview Memorial Hospital $15,862 after infectious waste was discovered in a load of trash sent to the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center in Newport.

According to the MPCA, the waste management facility rejected a load of waste from the hospital on Dec. 11, 2025, after workers found infectious material. The facility alerted the MPCA, which determined the load included liquid blood and other items contaminated with blood.

The waste was ultimately separated by a contractor and sent to a facility licensed to handle infectious waste, according to the MPCA.

Employees at the recycling and energy facility said discoveries like that are more common than people think.

"It's not just a physical harm, it's also trauma and mental health," said Sam Holl, facility director for the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center. "The mental toll of looking at body parts when you're not looking for that, and just the risk of knowing this may impact my health going home and with my family."

Workers sorting through trash have encountered blood-filled tubes, knee and shoulder joints and intestines, Holl said.

In fact, the Newport facility has documented more than 300 instances of infectious waste over the past three years, he said.

Minnesota law requires untreated infectious waste to be separated, clearly labeled and transported in a manner that prevents releases and protects human health, the MPCA said.

Earlier this year, Minnesota lawmakers approved legislation directing a study of the issue, with the goal of identifying ways to reduce improper disposal, Holl said.

"What we want is compliance," he said. "We want the hospital employees to be safe, we want our employees to be safe and we want the waste to be properly managed."

A spokesperson for HealthPartners, which operates Lakeview Hospital, said the organization responded promptly after learning of the issue and continues to strengthen its disposal processes to maintain high standards.

Since 2019, the MPCA said it has issued more than 8,400 enforcement actions totaling more than $24 million in penalties. Funds collected from penalties are deposited into the agency's general fund and used to support environmental protection efforts.