Suwon to Refuse Garbage Collection Containing Recyclables Starting from the 26th

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City has decided to refuse collection of volume-based garbage bags containing recyclable materials such as plastics and vinyl starting from the 26th and impose fines.

Since 2015, the city has been reducing the intake of recyclable materials such as plastics to minimize greenhouse gases generated during garbage incineration in accordance with the greenhouse gas emissions trading system implemented by the Ministry of Environment. Plastic in particular is cited as a major cause of increased greenhouse gas emissions.

The city aims to reduce the amount of plastic introduced into resource recovery facilities in volume-based garbage bags to less than 10% of annual plastic emissions (166,144 tons) by December. Last year, the amount of plastic introduced into resource recovery facilities was 14.2% of total emissions.

The city has strengthened monitoring of garbage introduced into resource recovery facilities and decided to refuse collection when intake standards are violated (20% or more mixing of recyclable materials). The relevant districts will implement first-time warning measures and from the second detection onward, will suspend garbage intake for 3 to 30 days depending on the frequency.

However, if garbage not collected due to intake standard violations is re-sorted and disposed of, it will be confirmed on-site and collected. The city also plans to produce and distribute guidance materials on separate discharge of recyclable waste and conduct focused promotion at regular meetings of the Traditional Market Merchants Association.