Government Strengthens Compost Management on Public Land to Prevent Nakdong River Algal Blooms

The government will strengthen the management of compost accumulated on public lands such as rivers and embankments to reduce the occurrence of green algae in the Nakdong River this summer.

On the 16th, the Ministry of Environment announced that, together with local environmental offices and local governments, it plans to notify owners to collect all compost on public lands such as rivers and embankments from mid-this month until the end of next month. If owners fail to comply, they will be prosecuted under the "Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Manure."

On the 9th, during the ongoing heatwave, green algae appeared in the Han River near Seongsan Bridge in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

According to the Ministry of Environment, there were 1,579 compost sites near the Nakdong River basin last year, of which 625 sites, or 40%, were improperly stored on public lands such as embankments, rivers, and roadsides. Since nutrients in compost (nitrogen, phosphorus) can flow into rivers with rain and cause green algae blooms, collecting compost is essential.

The Ministry of Environment will also provide compost covers to owners of compost piles stored on other private lands, educate them on proper storage methods, and send guidance messages to install covers when rain is forecast.

In consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the government will expand village-type compost storage facilities in areas with dense compost piles and promote the installation of shared resource facilities and public treatment facilities. Related regulations will also be revised to prevent compost that does not meet standards from being stored outdoors.

Currently, regulations allow unfermented compost to be provided to farming households (up to 300 kg per day or less than 1 ton per month), but cases of compost not meeting standards being left outdoors have occurred.

Ryu Yeon-gi, Director of Water Environment Policy at the Ministry of Environment, said, "Ahead of the rainy summer season, we will do our best with related agencies to ensure that all improperly stored compost in the Nakdong River basin is collected."