'Buried in the Ground Without Permission'... Gyeonggi-do Special Judicial Police Uncover 27 Illegal Asbestos Disposal Sites

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province has uncovered numerous companies illegally disposing of asbestos waste, a known Group 1 carcinogen, by unauthorized landfill or transporting it without proper packaging.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police conducted an intensive investigation into illegal asbestos waste disposal at 359 asbestos removal and dismantling sites from the 10th to the 28th of last month, resulting in the detection of 27 illegal disposal cases, the police announced on the 24th.

The violations include ▲ illegal landfill and dumping of asbestos waste (2 cases) ▲ unauthorized waste disposal business (5 cases) ▲ failure to report waste disposal plans (4 cases) ▲ improper storage of asbestos waste (7 cases) ▲ failure to report waste disposal plans (4 cases) ▲ failure to fulfill the obligation of asbestos dismantling work supervisors (2 cases) ▲ others (3 cases).

Company ㄱ located in Pyeongtaek was caught transporting about 400kg of asbestos waste without reporting a waste disposal plan during the demolition of a livestock barn. The barn owner, Mr. ㄴ, was investigated for burying 40kg of remaining asbestos waste on the demolition site after the dismantling.

Company ㄷ in Pocheon was caught storing about 2,000kg of asbestos waste generated during roof demolition without separate packaging, dividing it into three sacks and transporting it to their business site’s open yard. Mr. ㄹ, a tenant of a building in Pyeongtaek, was also caught storing asbestos ceiling materials generated from remodeling work without separate packaging, along with other demolition waste, in an open yard behind the commercial building.

Under current regulations, asbestos waste generated during building demolition must be packaged to prevent scattering.

The special judicial police plan to forward the 27 detected cases to the prosecution.

According to the Waste Management Act, illegal landfill of asbestos waste is punishable by up to 7 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 70 million KRW; unauthorized collection and transportation of waste is punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 50 million KRW; and failure to report waste disposal plans is punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 20 million KRW.

Inchi Kwon, head of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police, emphasized, "Asbestos is a Group 1 carcinogen, so safety management during asbestos waste disposal is crucial," adding, "We will continue investigations into illegal asbestos waste disposal to raise awareness and ensure the safety of residents."