SK bioscience is in a legal fight with administrative authorities over how to dispose of waste generated during vaccine manufacturing. After SK bioscience received an administrative measure from the local government for poor waste management, the company filed a lawsuit seeking to have the action canceled.
According to legal sources on the 30th, the Daegu District Court's Administrative Division 2 is handling a suit by SK bioscience seeking to cancel an order on waste disposal measures issued by the mayor of Andong. The first hearing was held in January this year, and the second is set for Apr. 23.
The case goes back to last summer. SK bioscience operates L House in Andong, North Gyeongsang. It is a plant that produces vaccines such as for pneumococcus and influenza. When the Daegu Regional Environment Office conducted an on-site inspection at L House last summer, it found that waste generated during vaccine manufacturing was poorly managed.
Under the Waste Management Act, medical waste must be refrigerated at 4 degrees Celsius or lower. SK bioscience was found not to have followed this in the process of storing some waste. The temperature was also said to be higher than what the law requires. The Daegu Regional Environment Office sent an official notice conveying these points, and Andong City Hall issued an administrative order to maintain an appropriate temperature.
Because vaccines are pharmaceuticals directly tied to public health, strict facility management is necessary. Nevertheless, in October that year SK bioscience filed an administrative suit against the mayor of Andong seeking to cancel the order. Under the Waste Management Act, institutions that generate medical waste include medical institutions, animal hospitals, and test and research institutions of the state, local governments, and universities. SK bioscience argued it does not fall under these categories.
SK bioscience is said to be arguing in the suit that vaccine manufacturing waste should be classified not as medical waste but as general waste generated at business sites. A legal industry source said, "There is room for interpretation," adding, "Because receiving an administrative action can affect the image of corporations, it appears the company chose to litigate."
A SK bioscience official said, "After the on-site inspection, we complied with the order regarding temperature," and added, "The aim is to use the lawsuit to establish specific standards for how far to manage waste generated in the vaccine manufacturing process." An Andong City Hall official said, "This is a matter currently in litigation," declining to comment further.