Gwangmyeong City to Expand Autonomous Disposal of Small Waste Home Appliances to Detached and Row House Areas Starting Next Month

Disposal Now Possible at Community Service Centers Without Separate Reporting
Park Seungwon, Mayor: "We Will Eliminate Resident Inconvenience and Increase Recycling Rates"

Starting in August, Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province will expand the autonomous disposal of small waste home appliances to general residential areas, including detached houses, row houses, and multi-family houses. As a result, residents will be able to dispose of small waste home appliances at their nearest community service center without the need for separate reporting.

A collection box for small waste home appliances set up in an apartment complex in Gwangmyeong City. Starting next month, Gwangmyeong City will allow autonomous disposal of small waste home appliances in detached houses, row houses, and multi-family houses without separate reporting. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

On July 15, Gwangmyeong City announced that it would expand the infrastructure for autonomous disposal of small waste home appliances in order to realize a circular economy and improve resident convenience. To this end, the city plans to operate collection boxes for waste home appliances at 19 community service centers throughout the city.

This initiative aims to eliminate the inconvenience of residents in detached houses, multi-family houses, and row houses having to report each time they dispose of small waste home appliances, and to increase the recycling rate of waste resources.

Previously, in March of last year, the city became the first in the country to launch a program that collects waste home appliances free of charge, regardless of size. However, while apartment residents could freely dispose of waste appliances in collection boxes within their complexes, non-apartment residents had to apply separately through the city website or by contacting a designated agency, which was inconvenient.

The installation and operation of the collection boxes as part of the expanded autonomous disposal program will be managed by Isunhwan Governance, a non-profit organization authorized by the Ministry of Environment. A city official explained, "We have improved resident convenience regarding waste home appliance disposal, while also increasing fiscal efficiency by not requiring additional city budget."

However, for large waste home appliances, residents must still arrange disposal through the city website or by phone with the designated agency, regardless of their type of residence.

Park Seungwon, Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, stated, "With the installation of these collection boxes, we will be able to recycle more waste home appliances," adding, "We will continue to pursue citizen-centered waste resource policies in the future."