[Interview] Kim Mikyung, Eunpyeong District Mayor: "Expanding Eunpyeong-style Recycling Hub MoaMoa"

Expansion of 10 Pilot-dong Recycling Centers to 20, to be Extended to Entire Eunpyeong-gu in Second Half

Targeting 99% Immediate Sale of Recyclables... Actively Addressing Waste Issues through Resource Circulation Practices

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “Since January 2020, under the ‘Direct Landfill Household Waste Import Quota System,’ only 28,774 tons of household waste, which is a 10% reduction from the 31,917 tons brought into the Sudokwon Landfill Site in 2018, can be transported to the Sudokwon Landfill Site. If the 10% reduction target for this year is not met, household waste imports will be suspended for five days in 2021, raising concerns about a ‘garbage crisis.’”

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong District, began the interview with Asia Economy by emphasizing the seriousness of the ‘garbage crisis.’

In fact, Eunpyeong District is promoting various projects to reduce household waste. Among them, the representative project is the Eunpyeong-type recycling station ‘Moamoa Project,’ which aims for a 99% recycling rate through the discharge, collection, and sorting of recyclables.

Mayor Kim explained, “‘Moamoa Project’ is tailored to the regional characteristics of Eunpyeong District, which has more multi-family and multiplex houses than apartments. Galhyeon 2-dong was selected as the pilot area. From October 2019, for 10 weeks every Monday, residents directly sorted and discharged recyclables at 10 designated locations. Residents who properly separated recyclables were given volume-based waste bags to encourage correct participation in waste separation and to reduce the continuously increasing household waste.”

Mayor Kim pointed out problems with the collection of ‘recyclable waste.’ “Currently, residents living in houses mix all recyclables into one bag. The contracted company collects these and transports them to the recycling collection center, where they separate recyclable materials that can be sold from those that cannot. During this process, various contaminants such as food residues mixed with recyclables degrade the quality, making it difficult to find buyers. Additionally, issues such as refusal to collect waste vinyl, rejection and return of plastic imports from overseas, and a shortage of waste paper continue to arise.”

Eunpyeong District has actively taken steps to improve these problems. Since March this year, the number of recycling station bases has increased from 10 to 20. Starting in July, in line with Seoul City’s waste vinyl and transparent PET day system, the discharge day was changed from Monday to Friday. The sorting process at the recycling collection center was omitted, and residents were required to separate recyclables into eight categories directly at the base sites.

Also, the ‘Moamoa Project’ operates with goals of achieving 99% immediate saleable recyclables and zero illegal dumping by dismantling recycling base discharge bags and frames after 9 p.m.

So far, the operation results have been positive, with cleaner surroundings at designated bases and an atmosphere encouraging separate collection in residential areas. The project is planned to be expanded throughout Eunpyeong District in July.

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung places great emphasis on the ‘Moamoa Project’ and frequently visits the sites to check directly. She said, “At a recent Moamoa recycling station site visit, despite the quiet streets due to COVID-19, more than 2 tons of saleable recyclables were collected, showing residents’ interest in recycling and resource circulation. Hand sanitizers were provided at each base for COVID-19 prevention, and site leaders wore masks and arm sleeves while sorting.”

Mayor Kim analyzes that the success of the Eunpyeong-type recycling station ‘Moamoa Project’ is due to the presence of ‘site leaders’ at each base. The ‘site leaders,’ consisting of 30 general leaders and 10 responsible leaders, passionately participate in cold weather by providing proper on-site education for correct separation and assisting with sorting work.

She proudly shared, “One leader I met during an inspection said, ‘At first, I wondered how many people would participate, but now I see mothers coming with their children to explain recycling, and elderly people who come as if for a stroll, recycling and exchanging greetings. The interest and participation are increasing day by day.’ This shows high satisfaction among residents met on site.”

Eunpyeong District continues to improve the system of the ‘Moamoa Project.’ To reduce household waste, they are implementing the Payback project (strengthening separate discharge of recyclable resources in volume-based waste bags), banning disposable products in public offices, strengthening guidance and inspection of disposable product use restrictions in the private sector, managing mandatory separate discharge workplaces for business waste and recyclables, supporting installation of separate collection bins in urban-type residential housing, promoting the Ana-Bada movement, composting street leaf waste at farms, recycling sewing fabric, and operating Nephron (empty can collection devices) to establish a virtuous cycle of resources.

Mayor Kim said, “Through the Moamoa Project, we ask for active participation from residents so that the culture of separate discharge can spread not only in the pilot area Galhyeon 2-dong but throughout Eunpyeong District. Furthermore, based on cooperation among the three northwestern Seoul districts (Mapo-gu, Seodaemun-gu, and Eunpyeong-gu), we will build the ‘Eunpyeong Metropolitan Resource Circulation Center,’ scheduled for completion in 2023, as the best recycling sorting facility, creating a resource circulation city where our children can play freely without worries about waste.”

Mayor Kim Mi-kyung emphasized the mindset that “waste is an inevitable part of human life and avoiding it is not the solution,” stressing that “waste is a resource.” Waste is not only a problem for local governments but a national issue as well.