Chuncheon City Shares 'Waste Management' Expertise with Xayaburi Province, Laos

Xayaburi Province, Laos, Visits Chuncheon to Study Waste Management Model
Severe Mekong River Pollution Spurs Benchmarking Trip for Waste Management Improvement
Operational Systems Reviewed Through City Hall Briefing and Environmental Park Inspection

On December 11, a delegation from Xayaburi Province, Laos, visited Chuncheon City to learn about its waste management and recycling policies and toured related facilities.

A delegation from Xayaburi Province, Laos, visited Chuncheon City on the 11th and discussed waste management and recycling policies with Mayor Yuk Donghan. Provided by Chuncheon City

Xayaburi Province is located in northwestern Laos, bordering Thailand. Recently, the collapse of a waste treatment facility and the leakage of leachate have caused severe pollution in the Mekong River, raising concerns about contamination of drinking water sources and the potential spread of infectious diseases. As this issue is spreading to neighboring countries, it has become an urgent international environmental problem that requires immediate improvement in waste management.

In this context, Saiyouth Duangta, Vice Governor of Xayaburi Province, and other officials attended a briefing on Chuncheon City's overall waste management system in a small conference room at City Hall. Afterwards, they visited the Chuncheon City Environmental Park to examine its operational methods and safety and environmental management systems.

Chuncheon City has implemented various policies to ensure the stability and efficiency of its overall waste management system.

First, the city expanded and reorganized the collection and transportation zones for household waste from six to ten areas to respond to urban expansion and changes in residential patterns. This measure aimed to address structural issues that had previously limited competition to certain companies and to improve service quality by reorganizing collection routes. To minimize initial complaints, the city has operated a focused response period and strengthened on-site monitoring.

Additionally, this month, for the first time in the province, Chuncheon completed the construction of a modern centralized waste disposal facility in Sinbuk-eup, which is currently in a pilot operation phase. With on-site managers, the facility aims to create an environment for proper waste separation and to serve as a base for waste disposal management, offering education, public awareness, and hands-on experiences for citizens.

Meanwhile, Chuncheon City has also achieved results in everyday resource circulation policies. It is the only city in the country to introduce reusable containers at all funeral halls, reducing 45 tons of single-use waste annually and earning a presidential commendation. The "Chuncheon e-Cup" reusable cup initiative is also being operated at 29 locations, including areas around City Hall and universities.

The city has expanded citizen participation by operating unmanned resource collection machines and providing mobile resource circulation education. Chuncheon continues to promote a culture of resource circulation by encouraging the use of reusable containers at public institutions, campsites, and festivals, and by establishing voluntary agreements with private companies.

On the same day, Mayor Yuk Donghan welcomed Vice Governor Saiyouth Duangta and his delegation in the reception room at City Hall. Mayor Yuk stated, "Chuncheon City prioritizes citizen safety in waste management and the operation of environmental facilities," and added, "I hope the two cities will continue to share experiences and information, further strengthening cooperation in the environmental sector."

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