Seoul City Launches Special Crackdown on Illegal Discharge of Wastewater During Heavy Rain... Up to 3 Million KRW Reward for Reporting

Special Crackdown on Various Environmental Pollution Activities During Summer Heavy Rain Period
Restoration and Technical Support for Facilities Damaged by Heavy Rain-Induced Environmental Pollution

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 20th that it will launch a special crackdown on pollutant-emitting businesses until August to block various illegal environmental pollution acts, such as unauthorized discharge of wastewater during the summer heavy rains.

The crackdown targets businesses that discharge highly toxic wastewater, such as dyeing, leather, and plating facilities, as well as waste discharge and treatment businesses, which have a significant impact on river water quality when pollutants are discharged without authorization.

Before the full-scale monitoring and crackdown activities, Seoul will conduct promotional and guidance activities to prevent illegal acts in advance by encouraging voluntary inspections of 4,568 pollutant-emitting businesses until the end of June.

During the heavy rain period in July and August, Seoul will organize two-person inspection teams by autonomous districts to strengthen self-monitoring of areas where water pollution is a concern. Together with the Hangang River Basin Environmental Office (Environmental Monitoring Team), unannounced inspections will be conducted on businesses discharging highly toxic wastewater, such as dyeing, leather, and plating facilities, and strong administrative measures will be taken in case of violations.

In particular, for businesses whose environmental pollution prevention facilities such as filtration devices, dust collection devices, and adsorption facilities are damaged due to heavy rains, Seoul will utilize professional personnel from the Seoul Green Environment Support Center to provide facility restoration and technical support.

Additionally, Seoul plans to actively utilize the currently operating Citizen Voluntary Environmental Monitoring Team and the reward system for reporting. A total of 52 members, consisting of citizen voluntary environmental monitors and public officials paired together, will conduct patrols in key monitoring areas such as environmentally vulnerable facilities, facilities of concern, and rivers near pollutant-emitting businesses to carry out prevention-focused environmental monitoring activities to prevent environmental pollution acts and water pollution accidents.

Choi Jin-seok, Director of the Water Circulation Safety Bureau of Seoul, said, "Once water quality is polluted, it takes a lot of time and cost to recover," and urged, "We ask businesses to recognize the importance of the environment themselves and make efforts to prevent environmental pollution."