'Ggukgguk' Packed Trash Causes 'Golbyeong'... Pocheon City Imposes Weight Limit on Volume-Based Waste Bags Starting January

About 15% of Sanitation Workers Injured While Loading Trash onto Vehicles

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[Asia Economy Reporter La Youngcheol] The Ministry of Employment and Labor's notice defines the musculoskeletal burden range as tasks involving lifting objects weighing 25 kg or more fewer than 10 times per day.

In particular, although the weight that can be placed in a 100-liter volume-based waste bag is 25 kg or less, when trash is compressed, it approaches 40 kg, threatening the health of sanitation workers who collect volume-based waste bags multiple times a day.

In recent years, about 15% of safety accident victims among sanitation workers were found to have injuries to the wrist, shoulder, and waist during the process of loading trash onto vehicles.

To prevent such safety accidents, some local governments nationwide are following the trend of discontinuing the production of 100-liter bags, and Pocheon City in Gyeonggi Province will reduce the capacity of volume-based waste bags starting from the new year.

Pocheon City announced on the 2nd, "From 2021, we will stop producing 100-liter volume-based waste bags and produce and supply 75-liter volume-based waste bags."

The city will enforce the revised "Pocheon City Waste Management Ordinance" starting this month.

The main revisions include the establishment of a clause for general-use 75-liter bags, deletion of the 100-liter bag clause, establishment of a clause for small-scale emitters (less than 300 kg per day) using 75-liter bags, adherence to disposal lines, and specification of weight limits.

When disposing of household waste, according to the disposal line standards and weight limit regulations indicated on the volume-based waste bags, 75-liter bags must not exceed 19 kg, and 50-liter bags must not exceed 13 kg. Violations will result in refusal of collection and fines up to 1 million won.

Starting in February, 75-liter volume-based waste bags can be purchased at volume-based waste bag sales points such as marts and convenience stores for 2,100 won per bag. The 100-liter volume-based waste bags already produced and distributed in the market can be sold and used until stocks are depleted.

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