Yeongdeungpo-gu, Inspection of Medical Waste Status

Comprehensive hospital and nursing hospital medical waste management inspections at 20 locations by the district inspection team through late February... Facility checks include diapers, needles, disposable syringes, alcohol swabs, gauze... Inspections cover proper segregation, use of designated bags, storage duration compliance, and appropriate transporter usage.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Chae Hyun-il) will intensively monitor the medical waste disposal status of general hospitals and nursing hospitals in the area until the end of February to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (hereinafter referred to as the novel coronavirus) and implement thorough hygiene management.

Medical waste, which may be contaminated with patients' bodily fluids and blood, poses a risk of infection and secondary contamination, so it must be disposed of in strict compliance with the law.

First, the district is continuously monitoring the medical waste disposal status of novel coronavirus screening hospitals in the area, such as Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Myongji St. Mary's Hospital, Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital, and Seongae Hospital, through visits and phone calls.

Additionally, the district will conduct special inspections on the disposal of medical waste by directly visiting 20 medical institutions, including general hospitals and nursing hospitals in the area.

This is because, following the amendment of the Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules of the Waste Management Act in October last year, diapers discharged from medical institutions can be disposed of as household waste except for those contaminated with infectious agents or blood from patients.

Accordingly, the district inspection team visits medical institutions not only to guide the revised system but also to conduct supervisory inspections to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus and subsequent secondary infections.

The main inspection targets are medical waste such as diapers, needles, disposable syringes, alcohol swabs, and gauze.

The inspection items comprehensively check △ proper separation and disposal △ use of designated bags △ compliance with storage period △ compliance with storage facility standards △ proper entrustment to transportation companies and use of designated incineration facilities △ use and recording of electronic information processing programs (RFID), among others.

The district plans to take appropriate measures upon discovering violations through inspections to ensure residents' safety.

When self-quarantined individuals occur in the area, the district provides hygiene kits containing masks, hand sanitizers, thermometers, and medical waste bags, and takes measures to prevent waste disposal until test results are available.

As of the 10th, there are no confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the area, but in case of an emergency, the district will make every effort to prevent virus leakage by double-sealing medical waste bags, conducting intensive disinfection, and sending them to designated incineration companies.

Currently, waste generated at the health center screening clinics is also double-sealed using designated bags, disinfected, and sent to designated incineration companies.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “The district is thoroughly preventing the novel coronavirus situation to create an environment where residents can feel safe,” and added, “We will ensure residents' safety with a flawless 24-hour quarantine system.”

Environment Division (☎2670-3472)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.