Jung-gu Changes Cleaning Paradigm... Improves Resident Participation Cleaning System

[Seoul District News] Jung-gu ▲Sanitation Worker Task System Expanded from Line to Square Area Concept ▲Resident-Centered Participatory Cleaning Agency Evaluation ▲Reduction of Cleaning Agencies, Efficient Adjustment of Service Areas, Strengthened Responsibility with Daily Collection ▲Village Clean Coordinator, Raising Resource Circulation Experts to Improve Waste Awareness

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) is gaining attention for solving the urban waste problem with a special cleaning policy.

They have decided to implement the Sanitation Worker Regional Cleanliness Responsibility System, expanding cleaning areas to include side streets and alleys, professionally revising the evaluation framework for cleaning contractors to strengthen their responsibility, reducing the number of cleaning contractors for more efficient operation, and increasing convenience for residents.

‘Sanitation Worker Regional Cleanliness Responsibility System’ ... Expanding cleaning areas to side streets and alleys

Since early this year, Jung-gu has been piloting the ‘Sanitation Worker Regional Cleanliness Responsibility System.’ The district is divided into four zones, with sanitation workers responsible for managing their assigned areas. This unique cleaning policy of Jung-gu reorganized the work system from a 'line' concept to an 'area (square)' concept.

Until now, cleaning work focused mainly on main roads, so while major streets were well maintained, there was insufficient capacity to manage side streets and alleys, causing inconvenience to some residents. To solve this problem, the cleaning areas of sanitation workers were expanded to include side streets and alleys.

By changing cleaning administration based on residents’ convenience rather than administrative convenience, the entire city came alive. Both residents and tourists visiting Jung-gu praised the cleaner streets and alleys. Encouraged by this, the system was expanded to the entire district starting in August.

However, since this was implemented by reallocating existing personnel without hiring additional sanitation workers, the workload for sanitation workers increased. This issue will be improved through continuous consultation with the sanitation workers’ union. Narrow alley cleaning is assigned to public work participants or safety job participants composed of residents of each neighborhood to reduce cleaning blind spots.

The ‘Village Clean Coordinator’ also played a significant role. They guided residents on proper waste disposal methods and managed vulnerable areas for side street cleaning and habitual illegal dumping sites daily. Thanks to their efforts, alleys became noticeably cleaner. Instead of the district office or contractors prioritizing waste disposal, residents themselves developed ideas and capabilities to improve habitual illegal dumping.

With smooth responsibility collection by zone and cleaning professionals deployed to residential side streets and alleys, the living environment has become visibly cleaner. Resident satisfaction and trust in the cleaning policy have also increased.

Jung-gu’s sanitation worker work system reform is attracting attention from other autonomous districts. While other districts focus cleaning work on main roads, they have not even attempted to deploy sanitation workers to side streets like Jung-gu due to differences of opinion with sanitation workers.

Professionally revising the cleaning contractor evaluation framework to strengthen contractor responsibility

Until now, Jung-gu conducted cleaning contractor evaluations internally with 30 local residents participating. From the end of this year, the evaluation will be entrusted to a professional service company and changed to a resident-participation type evaluation.

To this end, 800 residents were appointed as evaluation committee members. They will carefully check whether waste collection was conducted throughout the entire district without omission, whether residents’ convenience was considered during collection, and whether complaints were promptly addressed.

The evaluation questions were also revised. Previously, questions were general and abstract, such as whether collection was timely and equipment was well managed, making professional evaluation difficult. To improve this, evaluation items were subdivided and revised to specifically confirm the degree residents feel the service. Since evaluation results play a significant role in selecting contractors, contractors now bear a heavy responsibility for their service.

Reducing the number of cleaning contractors for efficient operation and increased resident convenience

Additionally, Jung-gu adjusted the number of waste collection and transportation contractors from six to four.

Jung-gu is the smallest district in Seoul by area and population but has many tourists due to famous spots like Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, and Namdaemun markets. Considering the amount of waste generated, six contractors, more than the Seoul average of 4.5, have been handling cleaning work.

One neighborhood was sometimes served by two contractors, or jurisdictional areas were far apart, resulting in an overly segmented contractor system. Residents had to endure significant inconvenience and confusion from purchasing volume-based waste bags to waste disposal. Due to low profits for contractors, resident services were neglected, and the negative impact fell on residents.

Therefore, based on research on household waste treatment, Jung-gu boldly reduced the number of contractors to four and adjusted contractor zones into four areas according to neighborhood boundaries. This process was conducted fairly and transparently through open competitive bidding.

Initially, there was opposition from contractors who lost contracts and confusion among residents due to contractor changes, but since the 8th mayoral term, high trust in cleaning administration and continuous supervision have gradually resolved these issues.

With simplified contractor zones, contractors’ collection routes became shorter, and a permanent task force was operated to actively respond to complaints about uncollected waste. Although the cleaning fees paid by the district decreased, contractors’ business profits improved, service quality increased, and resident satisfaction also rose.

Residents who were dissatisfied because reports were not handled promptly began actively reporting waste as the quality of cleaning administration services improved. The number of complaints increased from 952 in 2021 to 974 as of the end of September 2022.

Jung-gu’s adjustment of cleaning contractors is the first case of reducing the ever-increasing number of contractors. It sent a signal that contractors not properly adapting to changes can be boldly reduced, causing a significant impact in the related industry.

The first autonomous district to operate a waste research institute and resource circulation education

Along with this, Jung-gu spares no support in the resource circulation field to reduce waste and increase recycling. The Jung-gu Waste Research Institute ‘Saerom,’ the only one operated by an autonomous district, is running a 10-week resource circulation expert training course. Trainees empathize with the necessity of waste separation and reduction and plan to engage in resource circulation activities practicing these in daily life. Due to positive responses from graduates, the number of resource circulation activist training courses will be increased next year.

On Resource Circulation Day last September, the first ‘Hidden Treasure Market’ event was held to promote recycling practice, attracting about 800 residents who sold and purchased secondhand goods and made items from recyclables, receiving great response.

Mayor Kim Gil-seong said, “Jung-gu, with many famous tourist spots, once generated a lot of waste, but through steady efforts, it has now significantly decreased. Going forward, residents will take the lead in reducing waste generation and increasing recycling and resource circulation to make Jung-gu even cleaner.”

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