Seoul and Incheon's Food Waste 44% Processed in Gyeonggi Province

A significant portion of food waste generated in Seoul and Incheon is being processed in Gyeonggi Province.

According to Gyeonggi Province on the 4th, as of the end of 2005, Seoul and Incheon sent 1,699 tons per day, which is 43.8% of their daily food waste generation of 3,879 tons, to private resource recycling facilities within the province for processing.

By region, Seoul sent 1,561 tons (49.4%) out of its daily food waste generation of 3,162 tons, and Incheon sent 138 tons (19.2%) out of 717 tons to Gyeonggi Province.

In particular, since the daily processing capacity of all 87 private resource recycling facilities within the province is 2,300 tons, 73% of that capacity is being used to process food waste from Seoul and Incheon.

The province submitted an amendment to the Waste Management Act to the Ministry of Environment in August of last year to impose import charges on food waste coming from Seoul and Incheon due to complaints about waste transportation and resulting wastewater and odor problems.

A provincial official stated, "A management system is needed to identify the exact inflow routes, waste processors, and final treatment methods of food waste coming from other regions," and added, "Treatment costs for leachate and odor management should be collected from the inflowing municipalities."