"No Entry!" Hospitals Caught Dumping Human Fat from Surgeries en Masse

A large number of hospitals have been caught illegally disposing of human fat generated during liposuction and plastic surgery procedures.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Judicial Police Service announced that it has uncovered 36 violations of the Wastes Control Act across 25 hospitals and clinics, including plastic surgery and dermatologic clinics, and has referred the individuals involved to the prosecutors' office.

Investigations revealed that the penalized hospitals improperly handled human fat and waste blood generated during surgeries or failed to comply with storage standards.

At two of these facilities, it was confirmed that waste was dumped into sinks or toilet bowls.

Some locations also accumulated medical waste for extended periods.

Violating waste management and treatment standards can lead to up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won under relevant laws.

Following this crackdown, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to overhaul the medical waste management system.

To prevent cases where hospitals restrict access to operating rooms under the pretext of infection concerns to evade on-site inspections, the city is reviewing measures to expand the authority of officials to verify compliance.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.