Elazığ Özel Medikal Hospital fined 501 million TL for illegal waste disposal

The Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has imposed a fine totaling 501,568,000 TL on Elazığ Özel Medikal Hospital and its affiliated branches for the illegal disposal of medical and pharmaceutical waste.

Following an investigation that utilized security camera footage and GSM records, authorities determined that the healthcare provider had been transporting medical waste to private properties and burning it in gardens rather than following legal disposal protocols. While an initial fine of approximately 47 million TL was issued previously, subsequent investigations revealed that similar violations had occurred across three different branches of the organization.

The massive fine was issued under the provisions of Environmental Law No. 2872. This follows a prior judicial operation involving the Elazığ Provincial Gendarmerie Command, which resulted in the detention of 23 suspects and the imprisonment of nine individuals related to allegations of public loss and illegal gains at the hospital and its associated care and dialysis centers.