"Protecting the Rural Environment and Promoting Resource Circulation"
Iksan City in North Jeolla Province announced on May 12 that it will be conducting an intensive collection of "agricultural waste materials" until next month to protect the rural environment and promote resource circulation.
Reflective films, discarded nonwoven fabrics, and waste shading nets generated during farming processes are difficult to recycle and are often left unattended in farmland or illegally incinerated or buried, which has been identified as a cause of environmental pollution.
The city has launched the intensive collection of agricultural waste materials to create a pleasant rural environment and to ease the burden of disposal costs for farmers. The collection will also be carried out again after the farming season ends in the second half of the year.
At the same time, the city is implementing various support programs to ensure the proper disposal of agricultural waste. The "Agricultural Waste Vinyl and Empty Pesticide Bottle Collection Compensation Program" classifies collected agricultural waste vinyl and empty pesticide bottles by the degree of foreign matter contamination and provides monthly compensation to individuals, with the collection conducted through the Korea Environment Corporation.
The "Agricultural By-product Crushing Program" crushes agricultural by-products before farming (March to April) and after harvest (October to November) and recycles them as fertilizer. The "Unused Pesticide Collection Support Program" collects and disposes of expired or unused pesticides free of charge twice a year (in May and November) to prevent illegal disposal.
A city official stated, "Leaving agricultural waste unattended or illegally incinerating it can not only cause environmental pollution but also pose a threat to health," and added, "We ask for active participation from citizens in separating and collecting waste to create a clean and sustainable rural environment."
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