'Garbage Island' Formed by Floating Debris Drifting into Daecheongho Lake

"All Expected to Be Collected by Early Next Month at the Earliest"

On the 17th, the water area of Seokho-ri, Gunbuk-myeon, Okcheon-gun, Chungbuk, was covered with various types of trash. Due to the recent monsoon rains, 11,000 cubic meters of garbage and floating debris were washed into this area. / Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] During this year's unusually long rainy season, a large floating debris island has formed in Daecheongho Lake due to the influx of many floating materials.

According to the Geumgang River Basin Environmental Office on the 29th, as of the previous day, the total volume of floating debris such as dead grass and wood drifting into Daecheongho Lake was 13,000㎥.

As of the 15th, the total amount of floating debris was 11,000㎥, but an additional 2,000㎥ of debris flowed in due to rain from the 20th to the 28th. The average amount of floating debris drifting into Daecheongho Lake over the past three years is about 10,000㎥.

Most of the floating debris consists of dead grass and wood, but there is also a significant amount of household waste such as empty bottles and plastics. Because this year's rainy season was longer, more floating debris has drifted in than usual.

The Geumgang Environmental Office and Korea Water Resources Corporation are collecting the floating debris together with local residents. The Geumgang Environmental Office expects that if equipment and manpower are intensively deployed, all the floating debris can be collected by early next month. So far, 5,500㎥ of floating debris has been collected.

A representative from the Geumgang Environmental Office stated, "We are continuously monitoring water quality to prevent deterioration caused by floating debris."

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