Gyeongnam Province Detects 15 Companies for Illegal Waste Disposal ... Subject to Fines or Imprisonment

Two Cases Referred to Prosecution, 13 Under Investigation

The Social Disaster Division and Special Judicial Police of Gyeongsangnam-do have identified 15 companies illegally disposing of waste.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Special Judicial Police of the Social Disaster Division in Gyeongsangnam-do have uncovered 15 companies involved in illegal waste disposal activities.

The Gyeongnam Special Judicial Police, in a joint operation with city and county authorities from January 17 to March 16, identified 15 locations involved in illegal waste disposal. Two of these were referred to the prosecution, while investigations are ongoing for the remaining 13.

The planned crackdown was implemented to proactively address illegal disposal activities by unlicensed waste disposal companies, which have proliferated due to social and environmental damage caused by unauthorized waste dumping and abandonment, as well as increased disposal costs following China's ban on waste imports.

As a result of the crackdown, a total of 15 sites were identified: 13 businesses operating unlicensed waste disposal by illegally bringing in waste synthetic resin, waste panels, and construction site waste; one company illegally landfill inert sludge (汚泥, sediment) from waste discharged by aggregate production companies on farmland; and one business that installed waste treatment facilities (compression facilities) without notifying the relevant authorities.

A special judicial police officer is investigating an illegal waste landfill site.

The police reported that among the identified companies, one had installed and operated an unlicensed wastewater discharge facility, a wet sorting facility, to recycle copper and insulation from waste electric wires.

Analysis of the wastewater revealed copper, a specific water quality hazardous substance, at 0.394 mg/L, which is three times higher than the minimum detection standard of 0.1 mg/L. The company is planned to be charged for installing and operating an unlicensed wastewater discharge facility.

The company suspected of illegally landfilling inert sludge, a waste generated during the washing process of aggregates, on farmland will also have the waste generator investigated, and if charges are confirmed, they will be prosecuted.

A police official stated, "Engaging in unlicensed waste disposal business is punishable by a fine of up to 50 million KRW or imprisonment for up to 5 years, and illegal landfill of business site waste is punishable by a fine of up to 70 million KRW or imprisonment for up to 7 years."

Kim Eun-nam, head of the Social Disaster Division, said, "The proliferation of unlicensed companies and abnormal reduction of waste disposal fees can harm legally operating business owners and raise concerns about environmental pollution, waste abandonment, and illegal dumping. We plan to continue planned crackdowns and monitoring to protect residents' environmental rights and provide a clean and tidy surrounding environment."

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