Jeju-si, No Measures for Food Waste Disposal Until Early November

Food Waste Left Unattended Until Drying Facility Installation... "Storage Tank Fully Reached Its Limit"

Leachate Leakage in Food Waste Storage Tank and Signs of Backflow in Purification Facility

Unprocessed food waste piled up at Jeju City Environmental Facilities Management Office. Photo by Park Changwon

[Jeju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Chang-won] Food waste that the Jeju City Environmental Facilities Management Office has been unable to process is currently piled up to 300 tons, and an additional 20 tons are expected to accumulate daily until early November. However, there is no proper disposal method, causing local residents to suffer from the foul odor.

After Asia Economy reported on (2021.10.14.) ‘Over 300 tons of food waste illegally left unattended at Jeju City Environmental Facilities Management Office,’ it was confirmed during the process of checking with Jeju City that, in addition to the current 300 tons piled up, an additional 20 tons of unprocessed food waste will accumulate daily.

The Jeju City Environmental Facilities Management Office changed the food waste processing method, misjudging the withdrawal period of the existing processing company and the installation period of the new processing company’s equipment, and dismantled the existing waste processing facility, the dryer, at the end of September.

The Environmental Facilities Management Office processed an average of 60 tons of food waste daily, outsourcing 40 tons to external companies and drying 20 tons of high-moisture food waste using its own dryer, then incinerating the dried food waste at the Sambuk Incineration Plant.

However, since the in-house dryer was dismantled at the end of September, 20 tons of food waste per day could not be processed and accumulated, resulting in about 300 tons piled up.

The bigger problem is that the accumulation will continue, and there is no special alternative until the dryer is reinstalled and operated.

An official from the Environmental Facilities Management Office said, “The dryer installation is expected to be operational by early November,” but added, “We cannot give a definite completion date.”

Food residue, which appears to have backflowed near the food waste storage purification facility, is scattered here and there, and the undergrowth area where food leachate has flowed down has turned yellow. Photo by Park Changwon

As this situation continues, the food waste storage at the Environmental Management Office is full, with liquid that appears to be leachate from rotten food flowing, and severe foul odors are spreading near the purification facility along with food waste residues that seem to be backflow traces.

A representative from a processing company who visited the site said, “Looking at the weeds dying near the purification facility and the soil turning black, it seems that soil contamination from leachate has progressed significantly.”

Meanwhile, the existing processing company A plans to hold a protest at Jeju City Hall starting tomorrow to demand payment for service fees and to protest Jeju City’s haphazard environmental measures.

Company A stated, “We have been paid for food waste processing fees on the 12th of every month, but Jeju City has delayed payment this month, and we are protesting to raise awareness of the current food waste situation.”

In response, an official from the Environmental Facilities Management Office said, “There was a slight delay in settling the previous month’s processing volume, but we plan to execute the service fee payment soon.”

Meanwhile, as conflicts between the Jeju City Environmental Facilities Management Office and the company entrusted with food waste processing are pointed out as the cause of this food waste crisis, resident B of Bonggae-dong lamented, “The direct victims of the foul odor are the residents of Bonggae-dong, and if Jeju City truly cares for its citizens, it should put aside emotions between both parties and quickly resolve the worsening foul odor.”

Jeju=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Chang-won captain@asiae.co.kr