Seongseo Incineration Plant Policy Debate in Daegu
Attended by Council Members Jeonghee Kim and Jonggil Park
Residents of Dalseo District in Daegu, along with experts and civic groups, gathered to discuss the issue of extending the operation of Unit 23 at the Seongseo Incineration Plant. The goal was to assess the impact of this aging incinerator, which has been in operation for 28 years, on residents' health and the environment, and to seek fair and sustainable alternatives.
On September 10 at 3:00 p.m., Jeonghee Kim, a member of the Dalseo District Council in Daegu, held a policy debate on the extension of the use of Unit 23 at the Seongseo Incineration Plant at Waryong Learning Center in Igok-dong, Dalseo District. The debate was attended by Wonho Yang, Professor of Health Management at Daegu Catholic University (Presentation 1); Jonggil Park, Dalseo District Council Member (Presentation 2); Kwanghyun Cho, Secretary General of Daegu Gyeong Economy Solidarity; Minjo Kim, Secretary General of Daegu Environmental Federation; and Byeongnam Jeon, a representative of local residents.
Participants of the Daegu Seongseo Incineration Plant Policy Debate gathered in one place. (Front row from left) Wonho Yang, Professor at Daegu Catholic University; Kwanghyun Cho, Secretary General of Daegu Gyeong Economy Solidarity; Jonggil Park, Daegu Dalseo District Council Member; Minjo Kim, Secretary General of Daegu Environmental Federation; Jeonghee Kim, Daegu Dalseo District Council Member
Professor Wonho Yang emphasized, "It is difficult to control 100% of harmful substances such as fine dust, heavy metals, and dioxins generated by incineration facilities, even with the latest prevention equipment." He added, "Compliance with emission standards does not guarantee the absence of health impacts." He particularly pointed out that "in nearby areas where many vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly live, there are significant concerns about long-term exposure leading to cancer, respiratory diseases, and cardiovascular diseases."
Jonggil Park, a member of the Dalseo District Council, noted that undesirable facilities are concentrated in the Seongseo area, and that local residents have endured environmental pollution and inconvenience for years. Park highlighted the reality of the residents' burden by presenting statistics such as the daily household waste output in Daegu (2,535 tons per day as of 2021) and the number of odor complaints by district in Dalseo (242 cases in 2023, with 172 cases, or 71%, in Dalseo-gap).
The panelists pointed out that, due to the amendment of the Waste Management Act (July 2021), direct landfill of pay-as-you-throw waste will be completely banned in the Seoul metropolitan area from 2026 and in non-metropolitan areas from 2030. They agreed that "the top priority should be residents' health and environmental rights, not administrative convenience." They also stated, "The concentration of waste treatment facilities in specific areas is structurally unfair," and emphasized the need for gathering residents' opinions, transparent information disclosure, and the distributed placement of alternative facilities, regardless of whether the extension is granted.
The city of Daegu is currently working toward completing the replacement project for Unit 1 of the Seongseo Incineration Plant (360 tons per day, 121 billion won) by June 2026, and has also planned major overhauls for Units 2 and 3 (320 tons per day, 116.2 billion won, with 40% national funding and 60% city funding). However, residents argue that "large-scale repairs alone cannot overcome the structural limitations," and are demanding phased closure and the distributed installation of alternative facilities.
Jeonghee Kim, a member of the Dalseo District Council, stated, "This debate is not just about discussing the extension of incinerator operations, but marks the first step in protecting the health and environmental rights of Dalseo residents and achieving fair urban management." She added, "The council and the administration must work together to develop reasonable measures that reflect the opinions of residents."
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