By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-09-03 09:41:38 | Updated at 2026-09-03 10:30:15
59 minutes ago
SEOUL - A total of 25 plastic surgery and dermatology clinics in South Korea’s capital violated medical waste rules, including two cases in which human fat and blood from cosmetic procedures were dumped into sinks and toilets, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Sept 3.
The city’s special judicial police investigated 120 sites – 112 medical clinics and eight waste collection and transport companies – from January 2025 through July 2026. Investigators uncovered 36 violations at 25 clinics.
In the two cases of illegal disposal, human fat and blood from liposuction and other cosmetic procedures were poured into sinks or toilets. Medical waste was also discarded in ordinary trash bins alongside household waste.
Other violations involved improper storage. Some clinics mixed human tissue waste with general medical waste and kept it at room temperature before handing it over for disposal. Others stored medical waste for three to six months beyond the permitted period.
Blood, bodily fluids, used needles and other medical waste must be handled separately because of the risk of infection. Human tissue waste, including fat, must be kept in designated containers at 4 deg C or lower.
“Human tissue waste can rapidly decompose at room temperature, increasing odours and the risk of infection,” said an official from the city’s special judicial police bureau. “Medical institutions must strictly comply with storage and disposal standards from the moment the waste is generated.”
Investigators booked 25 people in connection with the violations and referred them to prosecutors in August with recommendations for indictment.
Violating medical waste disposal standards is punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won (S$18,700), according to the city.
The investigation also found that some doctors, nurses and waste-handling workers lacked sufficient knowledge of disposal requirements.
The city plans to improve training and inspection procedures and revise penalties to reflect the seriousness of each violation. It will share the cases with district offices and continue investigating related waste collection and transport companies.
The findings come amid a surge in medical tourism to Seoul, driven largely by demand for dermatological and cosmetic procedures.
A record 1.76 million foreign patients received treatment in the city in 2025, up 75.6 per cent from a year earlier. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
