Seongnam City Collects Mercury Medical Devices... "Protecting Citizens' Health and Safety"

Seongnam City Achieves 73% Cost Reduction
Centralized Collection of 155 Mercury-Containing Medical Devices

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province has taken the lead in protecting public health by implementing a centralized collection system for mercury-containing medical devices.

Mercury-containing medical device waste is being collected at the waste comprehensive treatment facility in Taepyeong-dong, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam City. Provided by Seongnam City

On May 8, Seongnam City announced that it had disposed of 155 mercury-containing medical devices?including blood pressure monitors, thermometers, and scoliosis meters?collected from 64 local medical institutions and public health centers (totaling 158 kg), and saved 67 million won in budget, which is equivalent to a 73% reduction compared to previous costs.

Mercury is a heavy metal that can have fatal effects on the human body, and its dangers are internationally recognized through cases of poisoning such as Minamata disease. In accordance with the Minamata Convention, which came into effect in 2020, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s notice implemented in July 2022, the use of mercury-containing medical devices has been completely banned in South Korea.

To protect citizens from such hazardous substances and to reduce the burden on medical institutions, Seongnam City introduced a "centralized collection" system.

Under this system, medical institutions package mercury-containing devices themselves and bring them to the designated site at the Taepyeong-dong waste comprehensive treatment facility, where the city collects them in bulk and entrusts their disposal to a specialized processing company.

Previously, each medical institution had to directly handle disposal through complex administrative procedures, costing a total of 91.36 million won. This time, costs were reduced to 24.36 million won, resulting in significant savings.

Seongnam City designated the Seongnam Medical Association as a joint operating body to streamline administrative procedures and strengthened local cooperation systems to ensure smooth collection.

A Seongnam City official stated, "Mercury can have a major impact on health even in small amounts, so prevention and prompt disposal are of utmost importance," adding, "We will continue to prioritize public health and further strengthen the management and supervision of hazardous waste."