Yongin Special City Completes 'Yongin Eco Town'…Full Operations Begin in July

[Suwon Ilbo=Choi Ki-ho] Yongin Special City announced on the 30th that it has completed the 'Yongin Eco Town' beneath Yongin Respire in Pogok-eup and will begin full operations starting in July to establish the foundation for a major city of 1.5 million residents and preserve the environment of the Han River system.

About 10 years after the city launched a feasibility study for 'Eco Town Development Project' in 2016, public environmental infrastructure for urban development has finally been established.

Through the 'Yongin Eco Town Development Private Investment Project,' the city has installed a Phase 2 sewage treatment facility with a daily processing capacity of 22,000 tons on a 51,046㎡ site beneath Yongin Respire. This has increased the daily sewage treatment capacity from the existing 56,000 tons to 78,000 tons.

Additionally, a sludge recycling facility has been installed that dries sludge generated in the sewage treatment process and uses approximately 220 tons daily as fuel.

Also constructed is an organic waste biogas facility that can convert organic waste such as food scraps into animal feed or compost or utilize them as biogas, with a daily processing capacity of 250 tons.

On the ground level, recreational facilities have been developed including 1 baseball field and 2 international-standard soccer fields, as well as a multi-purpose gymnasium and outdoor stage. A cultural and sports facility (resident convenience building) with 1 basement level and 2 above-ground floors has been created for residents to enjoy at their leisure.

The advantage of Yongin Eco Town is that it integrates sewage and waste treatment in a single facility, allowing the city to reduce costs for food waste treatment that had previously been outsourced to private contractors.

Additionally, gas emissions from the organic waste biogas facility are supplied for hydrogen production in the 'Mini Hydrogen City' selected by the city in a 2023 Gyeonggi Province public recruitment project, and thermal energy from the sludge recycling facility within the Eco Town is recycled as well, maximizing waste resource efficiency.

The project, which involved a total investment of 284.8 billion won, was implemented through a risk and profit-sharing private investment (BTO-a) method where the city and private developers share losses and profits. The project operator is Human Eco Land Co., Ltd., jointly invested by 11 companies including Posco E&C; and Hyundai Engineering and Construction.

Mayor Lee Sang-il stated, "We will operate sewage treatment facilities and other facilities in an eco-friendly manner and efficiently manage resident-friendly facilities so that all residents can benefit," and added, "With the completion of Yongin Eco Town, sewage treatment capacity has significantly increased. We will accelerate urban development projects such as apartment complexes and industrial complexes in the Cheoin-gu area and establish a foundation for balanced development in Yongin."