Gangseo-gu Sees Significant Improvement in Sorting Rate and Processing Volume After Outsourcing Recycling Facility to Specialist Company

On August 12, Gangseo-gu in Seoul (District Mayor Jin Kyohoon) announced that after outsourcing the operation of its recycling sorting facility to a private company, both the sorting rate and processing volume have improved significantly.

Previously, the sorting facility was operated by the Facilities Management Corporation. Due to a lack of expertise, the sorting rate was low and the operational costs continued to rise. To address these issues, the district entrusted the operation of the recycling sorting facility to a private specialist company starting in April of this year.

A worker is sorting recyclable materials. Provided by Gangseo-gu.

As a result, the average recycling sorting rate from April to July of this year reached 58.1%, which is about 18.7 percentage points higher than last year's average of 39.4%. The average monthly processing volume, which was only 1,679 tons last year, increased by 454 tons to 2,133 tons during the same period (April to July) this year. The proportion of materials processed directly at the facility also rose by 16.3 percentage points, from 75.4% to 91.7%, greatly reducing dependence on external consignment processing.

The working environment has also improved significantly. Previously, recyclable materials were piled up for long periods in cramped spaces, leading to problems with working conditions and safety. After the improvements, both working conditions and safety have been greatly enhanced.

Meanwhile, to determine the optimal method for operating the sorting facility, the district conducted a research study last year and selected a company through an open bidding process. Since April, the private company has been operating the facility.

Jin Kyohoon, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, stated, "By transitioning to private outsourcing, we have not only strengthened expertise and improved the working environment, but also greatly increased recycling efficiency. Moving forward, we will continue to establish a sustainable resource circulation system for both residents and the environment."

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