Stericycle, Inc. has reached a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) over widespread violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which governs hazardous waste management. The settlement, which resolves systemic failures from May 2014 to April 2020, includes a $9.5 million civil penalty, one of the largest ever imposed for RCRA violations.
Stericycle is a U.S. company specializing in business-to-business services, offering compliance-driven solutions that prioritize the safety of individuals and brands, enhance health and wellness, and protect the environment. What began as a modest start-up focused on medical waste management has evolved into a trusted partner for healthcare organizations and businesses of all sizes.
The alleged violations stem from Stericycle’s operation of its hazardous waste management business, which included transporting, storing, and disposing of hazardous waste at numerous facilities nationwide. The company repeatedly failed to properly track and manage hazardous waste, mishandled shipping manifests, and neglected to submit required records to the EPA’s electronic manifest system, jeopardizing both public health and the environment.
The company’s actions included losing track of hazardous waste shipments, sending waste to improper disposal sites, and failing to resolve discrepancies between waste manifests and received materials. Stericycle also stored hazardous waste for longer periods than allowed by law and did so at unauthorized locations, all in violation of federal regulations meant to ensure safety and accountability.
“Stericycle repeatedly failed to ensure the proper transport, management, and storage of hazardous waste—a critical responsibility that they were entrusted to perform,” said Cecil Rodrigues, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is committed to holding companies accountable and protecting communities from the risks of hazardous waste mismanagement.”
Although Stericycle sold its hazardous waste management division in April 2020, the settlement holds the company accountable for violations during its operation of 13 RCRA-permitted facilities and 44 waste transfer sites prior to that sale. The company now faces significant consequences for putting public health and safety at risk through its negligence.
“This penalty should send a strong message to other waste management firms that we will not tolerate flouting hazardous waste management laws,” said Matthew Podolsky, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
The settlement underscores the importance of compliance with hazardous waste management standards, particularly in relation to the EPA’s e-Manifest system, which tracks waste shipments to ensure safe handling and transparency in the disposal process. As part of the settlement, Stericycle is required to pay the civil penalty, but it remains committed to complying with all applicable laws going forward.
The proposed settlement is now awaiting approval from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
