Seoul's Municipal Police for Civil Affairs said on the 3rd that it uncovered 25 plastic surgery and dermatology clinics that violated waste disposal standards by dumping human fat and waste blood from liposuction and cosmetic surgeries into sinks and toilets.
According to the Municipal Police for Civil Affairs, 36 violations of the Wastes Control Act were found at the 25 clinics. They dumped human fat and waste blood generated after surgeries into sinks or toilets and exceeded the prescribed methods and periods for storing waste.
Medical waste such as blood, bodily fluids, and syringes is required to be managed separately due to concerns about secondary infections. In particular, tissue waste such as human fat decomposes quickly at room temperature, creating odor and a risk of secondary infection, so it must be placed in dedicated containers and stored in dedicated refrigeration facilities at or below 4 Celsius.
In response, the Municipal Police for Civil Affairs booked 25 violators from the 25 clinics and referred them to prosecutors with opinions for indictment. Violating waste disposal standards under the Wastes Control Act can result in imprisonment of up to 2 years or a fine of up to 20 million won.
The Municipal Police for Civil Affairs detected signs of illegal discharge of tissue waste at the end of 2024 and, starting early last year, analyzed hospital reports, website data, and the Allbaro system to select 120 for those surveyed.
The city of Seoul said it is necessary to consider establishing grounds to verify surgery and treatment records and purchase histories of medical consumables such as syringes, needles, and scalpels so that the types and volumes of medical waste generated by hospitals and clinics can be checked.
Lee Chang-seok, head of Seoul's Municipal Police for Civil Affairs, said, "Because tissue waste decomposes rapidly at room temperature, increasing odor and infection risks, hospitals and clinics must strictly adhere to storage and disposal standards from the point of discharge," and added, "We will share these investigation results with the district offices and, alongside on-site training and system improvements, protect citizens' safety from medical waste."