Drugs Detected at 3 Incheon Sewage Treatment Plants... Assemblyman Heo Jong-sik Calls Drug Crackdown a "Loophole"

MFDS 'Wastewater-Based Drug Survey' Results
Estimated Methamphetamine Use in Incheon Four Times National Average

Methamphetamine seized by the police
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The government is conducting a pilot project analyzing drug use trends at large-scale sewage treatment plants nationwide. In this context, drug components were detected at sewage treatment plants in the Incheon area, with the estimated amount of methamphetamine use exceeding four times the national average.

According to data received by the office of Heo Jongsik, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Incheon Dong-gu Michuhol-gap, from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 30th, samples collected and analyzed last year from three sewage treatment plants in Incheon?Gajwa, Namhang, and Seunggi?revealed the presence of drug components such as methamphetamine and ecstasy.

Among these, the estimated daily average methamphetamine use at the Seunggi Sewage Treatment Plant in Yeonsu-gu was 82.58 mg per 1,000 people, which is 4.2 times the national average of 19.7 mg.

This facility processes sewage from parts of Yeonsu-gu, Michuhol-gu, and Namdong-gu, leading Heo’s office to estimate that methamphetamine was intensively distributed and used within this jurisdictional area.

The estimated daily methamphetamine use at Namhang Sewage Treatment Plant in Jung-gu and Gajwa Sewage Treatment Plant in Seo-gu was also higher than the national average, at 63.1 mg and 34.9 mg respectively.

This is the first time that the actual state of drug distribution has been revealed through sewage treatment plants, and Heo’s office explained that experts’ assumptions that areas with ports have higher possibilities of distribution and use compared to other regions have been confirmed.

Since April 2020, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has been conducting a "Wastewater Epidemiology-Based Survey on the Use Patterns of New and Illegal Drugs" at large-scale sewage treatment plants nationwide to identify drugs used and distributed domestically.

Samples are collected from 57 sewage treatment plants nationwide to analyze the types and amounts of residual drugs. Considering sewage flow and the population within the sewage collection area, the amount of drug use per capita is estimated.

Heo said, "Since all detected drugs are assumed to be excreted from the human body, it is estimated that methamphetamine is most widely distributed and used in Incheon," and added, "Administrative and judicial authorities must establish measures to prevent citizens from being exposed to drugs without protection."

Democratic Party of Korea Representative Heo Jong-sik

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