Gyeonggi-do Waste Disposal Companies Must Report to 119 When Conducting Incineration Operations

Firefighters are extinguishing a fire at a waste disposal company.

Waste disposal companies in the Gyeonggi area must now report to 119 before conducting any incineration work on their own.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 19th that the "Partial Amendment to the Gyeonggi Fire Safety Ordinance," which includes this provision, was promulgated last month and has come into effect this month.

This amended ordinance adds waste disposal companies to the list of entities required to report, aiming to raise fire awareness before work begins and to prevent false fire reports from residents.

The Fire and Disaster Headquarters expects that the implementation of the amended ordinance will reduce both fire incidents and false fire reports at waste disposal companies.

According to the Fire and Disaster Headquarters, from 2018 to 2022, there were 276 fire incidents at waste disposal companies in the Gyeonggi area, resulting in 2 deaths and 17 injuries, totaling 19 casualties.

In particular, waste disposal companies store tens to hundreds of tons of waste, making fire suppression difficult and time-consuming, leading to wasted firefighting resources. Additionally, large amounts of hazardous substances are released, causing environmental pollution issues. Notably, 8 companies experienced repeated fires more than twice.

Chosunho, head of the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters, stated, "Most waste disposal companies, such as junkyards, are outdoor facilities not required to install firefighting equipment, and they handle many items like rubber and plastic that easily catch fire, resulting in frequent fires. We expect the implementation of this amended ordinance to lead to a reduction in fires at waste disposal companies."

Meanwhile, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters is also considering selecting fire-vulnerable targets among waste disposal companies and designating them as fire safety priority management targets to conduct year-round fire safety inspections and fire safety consulting.

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