Many districts in Seoul, residents are waking up with odors. Containers that collect the food waste are overflowing. Since January 7, food waste management firms are refusing to take out the garbage, asking an increase over 50 percent charges. Korean government has prohibited the firms to dump food waste into the ocean starting this January.
Even though Korean government joins the London Convention and Protocol in 1993, it allows the waste management firms to throw garbage into the ocean due to the lack of landfills and concern for the ground water contamination. Also the cost of dumping garbage into ocean is 90% cheaper than burying it in the land.
However, since the Korean government decides to follow London Convention & Protocol this year, the battle has started.People are suffering from insanitary condition in their area, and children are exposed to the health risk.
City of Seoul has 25 districts, and the heads of 16 districts got together last week, and requested Central Government to step in and settle the feud.
A city spokesman said,"Under the current system, each district office renews a contract with a disposable firm every year. The city government is not involved in contracts".
Ministry of Environment will hold a committee to discuss the matter on coming January 17.
It is sad that our government acts on the Protocol finally after 20years since it joined. Even sadder is that only a week's practice, the step to save environment faces the huge problem of cost. I sincerely wish that the issue will be resolved in eco friendly terms.
* London Convention and Protocol
The "Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter 1972", the "London Convention" for short, is one of the first global conventions to protect the marine environment from human activities and has been in force since 1975. Its !--object--ive is to promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and to take all practicable steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of wastes and other matter. Currently, 87states are Parties to this Convention.
In 1996, the "London Protocol" was agreed to further modernize the Convention and, eventually, replace it. Under the Protocol all dumping is prohibited, except for possibly acceptable wastes on the so-called "reverse list". The Protocol entered into force on 24 March 2006 and there are currently 42 parties to the Protocol.
Source: The Korea Times, The Cho-Sun Daily, The Joong-Ang Daily, etc.
Image: Google image.
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15 Comments
Thank you for sharing.
Posted 30-08-2013 17:07
no waste is impossible,, but it is depend on your govern in managing the above problem..as we know the protocle have been approved must be conducted...but.................
Posted 29-01-2013 08:05
no waste is impossible,, but it is depend on your govern in managing the above problem..as we know the protocle have been approved must be conducted...but.................
Posted 29-01-2013 08:03
Waste management still a serious problem. The Program 3R still couldn't work if many aspects people didn't support this program.
Posted 17-01-2013 13:18
@Shruti Roy : I am from Kolkata and I totally understand the problem..... I know talking more will bring politics in this forum, but the government of West Bengal is pretty similar to the one in Korea....
Posted 17-01-2013 02:31
It is a very serious problem......
Posted 17-01-2013 02:28
Our project on Growing garden from Garbage, may help .
Posted 17-01-2013 00:26
we must follow waste management
Posted 16-01-2013 19:57
waste is not a waste until it is wasted
Posted 16-01-2013 19:57
Why pollute the sea. Better management of surplus food/donating to food banks may ease the problem.
Posted 16-01-2013 19:53
Thanks for report, this is complex problem.
Posted 16-01-2013 19:46
Oh, thank you for sharing latest environment news.
We need to be willing to take higher garbage disposal cost to protect our nature.
There's no free lunch.
Posted 16-01-2013 11:39
We are facing similar problem at Kolkata.
Thanks for the report.
Posted 16-01-2013 09:58
Thanks for highlighting the issue. This is a major problem of most of the cities.
Posted 16-01-2013 03:15
This is really a serious problem! Waste management is a major issue and must be paid heed to!
Posted 16-01-2013 02:58