Quest Diagnostics to Pay a Total of Nearly $5 Million for Illegal Disposal of Hazardous Waste, Medical Waste, and Protected Patient Information to Monterey County and 9 Other Counties in California

 

SALINAS, California – Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni, along with the

California Attorney General and 9 other California District Attorneys, announced on Wednesday, February 14 a settlement

with Quest Diagnostics, Inc., resolving allegations that the diagnostic laboratory company

unlawfully disposed of hazardous waste, medical waste, and protected health information at its

facilities statewide. As part of the settlement, Quest Diagnostics will be required to pay $4,999,500

in penalties, costs, and supplemental environmental projects and make significant changes to its

operations and practices at its California facilities.

Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni stated: “This settlement will help ensure that

patients’ personally identifiable and private health information is protected and will protect worker

safety and human health by ensuring that hazardous and medical wastes are properly managed and

disposed of.”

The settlement is the result of over 30 inspections conducted by the district attorneys' offices at

Quest Diagnostics laboratories and Patient Service Centers (PSCs) statewide, including in Monterey

County. During those inspections, the district attorneys' offices reviewed the contents of Quest

Diagnostics’ compactors and dumpsters and found hundreds of containers of chemicals, as well as

bleach, reagents, batteries, and electronic waste; unredacted medical information; medical waste

such as used specimen containers for blood and urine; and hazardous waste such as used batteries,

solvents, and flammable liquids. The unlawful disposals are alleged to violate the Hazardous Waste

Control Law, Medical Waste Management Act, Unfair Competition Law, and civil laws prohibiting

the unauthorized disclosure of personal health information.

After being notified of the investigations, Quest Diagnostics implemented numerous changes to

bring its facilities into compliance with California law, including hiring an independent

environmental auditor to review the disposal of waste at its facilities and modifying

its operating and training procedures to improve its handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous

waste, medical waste, and personal health information at all four laboratories and over 600 PSCs in

California.

The settlement was filed in San Joaquin County and resolves the allegations above and requires

Quest Diagnostics to pay $3,999,500 in civil penalties, $700,000 in costs, and $300,000 for a

Supplemental Environmental Project to support environmental training and enforcement in

California. The settlement also imposes injunctive terms, including requirements that Quest

Diagnostics maintain an environmental compliance program, including hiring a third-party waste

auditor, and report annually on its progress.