25 clinics caught after probe of about 120; 25 individuals referred for indictment; authorities to strengthen waste-handler training

Discarded human fat stored in zipper bags. The tissue-fluid waste was found mixed with general medical waste at clinics caught in the crackdown. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Discarded human fat stored in zipper bags. The tissue-fluid waste was found mixed with general medical waste at clinics caught in the crackdown. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Dozens of Seoul hospitals and clinics have been caught illegally disposing of human fat and blood waste.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Civil Justice Police Bureau said Wednesday it had identified 25 plastic surgery and dermatology clinics that violated waste-disposal regulations by dumping human fat and blood generated during liposuction and cosmetic procedures down sinks and toilet drains. The bureau filed criminal charges against all 25 clinics under the Waste Management Act and referred all 25 cases to prosecutors in August with a recommendation for indictment.

The bureau selected 120 facilities — 112 clinics and eight waste-collection and transport companies — as investigation targets after analyzing the government's electronic waste-tracking system and clinic websites. Field inspections and follow-up investigations ran from January 2025 through July 2026.

The 25 clinics found in violation had disposed of human fat and blood from surgeries by pouring them down sinks or toilets, and had also stored medical waste beyond permitted methods and time limits.

Tissue-fluid waste — including human fat and blood produced during liposuction and eye and nose surgeries — was flushed down sinks and toilets. Some clinics also placed medical waste in ordinary trash bins alongside general refuse. Regulations require that medical waste such as blood, bodily fluids and needles be managed separately due to the risk of secondary infection. Tissue-fluid waste in particular deteriorates rapidly at room temperature and poses odor and infection risks; rules require it to be stored in dedicated containers in refrigerated facilities kept at or below 4 degrees Celsius.

There were 24 violations of storage standards. The clinics mixed tissue-fluid waste with general medical waste, stored it at room temperature and then had it processed as ordinary medical waste. Medical waste subject to 15- or 30-day storage limits was kept for three to six months or longer. Under the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy's guidelines on separate medical waste disposal, tissue-fluid waste such as placentas must be stored in sealed dedicated storage rooms for no more than 15 days. Isolated medical waste must also be kept in dedicated refrigerated facilities and may be stored for no more than seven days. Teeth may be stored in sealed containers for up to 60 days.

Ten violations involved the misuse of dedicated waste containers — either reusing containers that had already been used, or failing to record the date on which a container was first put into service.

Seoul referred all 25 individuals responsible for the violations at the 25 clinics to prosecutors with a recommendation for indictment. Violating waste-disposal standards under Article 13, Paragraph 1 of the Waste Management Act is punishable under Article 66, Subparagraph 1 by up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won ($15,000).

Investigators also found that doctors, nurses and other clinic staff were often unaware of waste-disposal requirements, and that even those who had completed mandatory training did not fully understand how to use the electronic waste-tracking system. The probe found a need to strengthen the inspection authority of civil servants overseeing medical waste, as current checks focus mainly on storage and disposal. Inspectors are sometimes barred from entering operating rooms and treatment rooms — or clinics simply refuse to cooperate — citing infection concerns.

Seoul said it would review establishing a legal basis for verifying the types and volumes of medical waste generated at hospitals and clinics by cross-checking surgical and treatment records against purchase records for medical consumables such as syringes, needles and scalpels.

"Tissue-fluid waste deteriorates rapidly at room temperature, amplifying odor and infection risks, so hospitals and clinics must strictly follow storage and disposal standards from the moment waste is generated," Civil Justice Police Bureau Director Lee Chang-seok said. "We will share the results of this investigation with district governments and combine on-site training with regulatory improvements to protect public safety from medical waste."


cook@heraldcorp.com