District 207 benefits from Lake Forest medical waste firm settlement

A Lake Forest medical waste disposal company has settled a nationwide lawsuit stemming from its practice of overcharging government agencies for inaccurate operating costs by agreeing to pay $26.8 million in restitution.

Illinois will receive $3 million as part of the settlement involving 11 other states and Washington, D.C., according to the release.

Illinois agencies defrauded by Stericycle will receive a share of $1.6 million of the $3 million the state is slated to receive. That includes Maine Township High School District 207, which Madigan's office said was overcharged by more than $50,000.

Operators of Stericycle Inc. were accused of falsifying bills to a variety of government entities throughout the country by automatically increasing charges by claiming fuel and energy spikes that didn't actually occur. Stericycle had been raising bills up to 18 percent every nine months since 2003, according to a news release from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office.