Pan-Government Marine Waste Management Committee Launches in October

Enforcement Decree of the Marine Waste Management Act Passed at the State Council Meeting

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] In October, an inter-ministerial Marine Waste Management Committee chaired by the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries will be established to handle marine waste disposal.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced on the 14th that the "Enforcement Decree of the Marine Waste and Marine Pollution Sediment Management Act (hereinafter referred to as the Marine Waste Management Act)," which stipulates the composition and operation plan of the committee, has passed the Cabinet meeting. This is a follow-up measure after the amendment bill of the Marine Waste Management Act, which legally grounds the establishment of the inter-ministerial committee in March, was approved by the National Assembly plenary session.

According to the revised enforcement decree, the committee will be chaired by the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and composed of vice-minister level officials from nine ministries related to marine waste management, heads of three public institutions, and up to ten experts with extensive knowledge and experience in marine waste. A working-level committee will also be established under the committee to conduct preliminary reviews of agenda items to be submitted to the committee.

The committee will, under the delegation of the Marine Waste Management Act, coordinate and cooperate on policies related to marine waste management among central administrative agencies and local governments, and deliberate and coordinate matters concerning the improvement of laws, policies, and systems, as well as international cooperation and response tasks.

Yoon Hyunsoo, Director of Marine Environment Policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, said, "Due to the characteristics of marine waste, mostly plastic, cross-ministerial management throughout the entire lifecycle?from production, use, collection, treatment, to recycling?is necessary. Since the inter-ministerial Marine Waste Management Committee will be composed of all related ministries, it is expected to significantly enhance the effectiveness of marine waste reduction measures. We will do our best to prepare for the smooth operation of the committee, including appointing members and discovering agenda items."

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