Incheon Songdo 8th District Household Waste Automatic Collection Facility Construction Begins... Underground Completion by End of Next Year

Aerial View of the Automated Household Waste Collection Facility in Songdo District 8 [Provided by Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The first underground garbage collection center will be constructed in Songdo International City, Incheon Free Economic Zone.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on the 22nd that it has commenced construction of an automated household waste collection facility in Songdo District 8, with a total project cost of 49.2 billion KRW, and plans to complete it by the end of next year.

The Authority accepted residents' concerns that the collection center planned for Songdo District 8 was too close to nearby apartment complexes, causing severe odor problems, and after a consultation process, began construction of the automated collection facility after 2 years and 7 months.

Initially, when complaints arose, the Authority attempted to relocate the facility to a park in Songdo District 9, but due to opposition from the land-owning institution and other difficulties, it decided to build the underground facility at the current Songdo District 8 site.

Once completed, the project will have two automated collection facilities capable of processing an average of 25.8 tons of household waste per day. Only combustible household waste will be collected, while food waste will be collected door-to-door.

Currently, Songdo International City has a total of 53.6 km of underground household waste transport pipelines in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7, along with seven automated collection facilities above ground. These facilities gather an average of 35 tons of daily waste discharged from apartment complexes through underground pipelines to collection centers, which then send the waste to treatment facilities.

An official from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority stated, "Although we faced difficulties over the past 2 years and 7 months regarding the relocation of the automated collection facility, we have finally commenced construction through public-private cooperation," adding, "We will carry out the construction smoothly to serve as a good example of communicative administration and public-private cooperation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.