"Rendering Factory Double Penalty and Excessive Regulation"... Demand for Unified Legislation

Korea Regenerative Maintenance Industry Cooperative
If Proposal Not Accepted, Recycling Processing Will Stop
Odor Measurement Enforcement Suspension Also Needed

Source=Korea Recycled Oil Industry Cooperative

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daeseop] The Korea Recycled Fat Industry Cooperative announced on the 15th that workplaces are on the verge of shutdown due to the government's excessive regulatory policy that imposes dual penalties by simultaneously applying the Odor Prevention Act and the Waste Management Act.

According to the Recycled Fat Industry Cooperative on the 15th, 25 rendering plants nationwide (processes that heat-treat waste fat, bones separated from livestock products, and dead animals inspected by veterinarians) are struggling due to policies disconnected from reality.

The cooperative explained that when violating odor emission standards, under the Odor Prevention Act, a first improvement recommendation is issued, but simultaneously, under the revised Waste Management Act, a first business suspension of one month is imposed as a dual penalty. This means that even a single violation can lead to massive fines and potentially future permit cancellations, creating a serious situation.

The industry claims that currently, when odor standards are exceeded, dual penalties are imposed by simultaneously applying the Odor Prevention Act and the strengthened Waste Management Act, and they demand unification under the Odor Prevention Act.

They also emphasized that livestock by-products and dead animals inevitably produce odors during rendering processing (high-temperature heat treatment above 130 degrees Celsius), but the current odor emission standards were established based on dry recycling facilities, so separate standards need to be prepared for wet recycling rendering facilities.

In particular, they explained that if odor prevention facilities suitable for the rendering industry are to be installed, local governments should at least suspend odor measurement enforcement during the period of facility improvement.

The industry stated that if the government does not accept their proposals, since odor enforcement will inevitably result in a one-month business suspension administrative penalty, they will have no choice but to stop recycling the domestically generated livestock by-products (about 2,300 tons per day) and dead animals (about 50 tons per day).

Rendering plants collect livestock by-products (fat, bones, intestines, etc.) and dead animals, process them with high heat, and produce and supply single-nutrient feed. Currently, there are 29 rendering plants, but only 25 are operating, and even those operate at about 70% capacity, according to the cooperative.

The industry claims that rendering plants contribute to preventing environmental pollution caused by waste and to the development of the recycling industry, while also helping to replace imported feed volumes and save foreign currency.

Shin Ikcheol, Chairman of the Korea Recycled Fat Industry Cooperative, said, "Currently, if rendering plants exceed the odor enforcement standards, they receive a one-month business suspension administrative penalty, but due to the nature of the rendering industry, a one-month suspension is equivalent to a closure order. The rendering industry itself is making self-help efforts with support from government-affiliated organizations, so we ask the government to at least suspend enforcement during the facility improvement period."

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