Installed and Operated at Gwangmyeong?Siheung Expressway Construction Site
The city of Gwangmyeong in Gyeonggi Province has reported POSCO E&C to the police on charges of installing and operating illegal wastewater discharge facilities at a highway construction site.
On November 24, Gwangmyeong City announced that it had recently filed a complaint with the Gwangmyeong Police Station against POSCO E&C, the contractor for the Gwangmyeong-Seoul Expressway, for violating the Water Environment Conservation Act.
According to the Water Environment Conservation Act, anyone intending to install a wastewater discharge facility must obtain permission from, or report to, the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment in accordance with the Act's enforcement decree. Violators may face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won.
However, the city explained that POSCO E&C discharged wastewater generated during the excavation of the Won-Gwangmyeong Underpass at the Gwangmyeong-Seoul Expressway construction site without purification, even though the non-point pollution reduction facility was out of order. The company was also found to have installed and operated unreported wastewater discharge facilities.
The city added that it confirmed these facts on November 18, after receiving a citizen report about brown contaminated water flowing into the area around 397-10 Gwangmyeong-dong, Mokgamcheon, and Gwangnam 1 Bridge.
The city immediately restored the normal operation of the non-point pollution reduction facility at the site to ensure that only purified wastewater would be discharged, and reported the installation and operation of unreported wastewater discharge facilities to the police.
The city plans to impose administrative sanctions on the illegal facilities and will disclose related information on the city’s official website for three months.
Park Seungwon, Mayor of Gwangmyeong, stated, "Responding firmly and swiftly to environmental law violations is fundamental to ensuring citizen safety and protecting the environment. We will continue to inspect sites, enforce strict administrative measures, prevent recurrence, and create a pleasant living environment."
In response, POSCO E&C stated, "The company has never intentionally discharged turbid water without purification, and has reported and operated facilities for treating turbid water. As soon as the malfunction of the treatment facility was identified on site, restoration was completed, and the facility is now operating normally."
The company added, "We will reorganize on-site management and facility inspection procedures and strengthen preventive measures to ensure that similar situations do not recur in the future."
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