Gangbuk-gu, the Only District in Seoul to Pilot 'Apartment Recycling Waste Reporting System'

Paper, Plastic, PET Bottles, and Other 'Multi-family Housing Separate Waste Collection Items' Under Full Management

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Gyeom-su) is the only district in Seoul to pilot the ‘Apartment Complex Recyclable Waste Reporting System’ in collaboration with the Korea Environment Corporation.

In this pilot project, the management entities of ‘mandatory management apartment complexes’ will directly register their mandatory reporting information into the electronic system.

The purpose is to review the entire system operation process ahead of the enforcement of the Waste Management Act (November 27, 2020) and to address any shortcomings.

The revised Waste Management Act includes obligations for household waste generators. When generators handle household waste themselves, they must report the performance, methods, and contract details to the head of the local government.

In particular, apartment complexes are known to rely mostly on private companies for recyclable waste, placing them directly under the mandatory regulations.

Electronic reporting is conducted through the Korea Environment Corporation’s Circular Resource Information Center. When the amount of recyclables processed by each mandatory management apartment complex is entered, the district approves the waste performance and monitors various statuses. This will enable local governments to easily grasp the amount of recyclable waste processed, eliminating blind spots in recyclable waste management.

Last month, the district visited several ‘mandatory management apartment complexes’ selected for the pilot operation to provide guidance and demonstrations on how to use the reporting system. Pre-education was also conducted on system membership registration, contract information and performance reporting procedures, and explanations of separated waste items. During the pilot project, the district plans to carefully examine any resident inconveniences arising from the new system implementation to minimize confusion.

Gangbuk-gu Mayor Park Gyeom-su said, “The ‘Apartment Complex Recyclable Waste Reporting System’ is expected to be a new turning point for implementing public-centered waste policies,” adding, “We will gradually reduce household waste generation and develop the area into a leading region for resource circulation.”

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