During the audit of the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, the issue of O·X separation of household waste was raised to Minister of Environment Kim Wan-seop. While complaints were raised from citizens due to the complex classification and method of separate discharge, Minister Kim also answered that he was not sure about some issues.
According to News 1, during a government audit held for the Ministry of Environment on the 8th, when Park Hong-bae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, asked, “Should instant rice containers be disposed of in plastic?”, Minister Kim responded, “I don’t know because I don’t eat plastic rice often.”
The instant rice container has ‘OTHER’ written on it as a recycling symbol. Since plastic is not easily recycled, it must be disposed of in volume-based plastic bags.
Rep. Park also asked about the separate disposal of broken glass bottles. Minister Kim answered correctly, “I am throwing it away in general trash.” In fact, broken glass bottles are disposed of by wrapping them in paper such as newspaper and putting them in a volume-rate bag.
In the quiz on this day, the confusing question of separating milk cartons was also asked. Rep. Park asked whether milk cartons and other paper cartons are disposed of separately, and Minister Kim said, “We are doing that, but I know it is wrong.”
According to the Ministry of Environment, paper packs and sterilization packs must be disposed of separately. However, it is currently difficult to find places where separate waste collection boxes for paper and sterilization packs are installed in apartment complexes.
In particular, in the case of sterilized packs, the recycling label says ‘recycling is difficult.’ Although it implies that recycling is difficult, many citizens perceive recycling as difficult and often throw it away in volume-based bags.
According to Rep. Park, recycling of sterilization packs in Korea is only 2%.
Rep. Park said, “Is there any reason to label it in such a difficult and confusing way that the packaging material is not easily recyclable? This seems a bit wrong.” He added, “Efficient use of resources, waste generation and suppression, and promotion of waste recycling are important tasks of the Ministry of Environment.” “It’s one of the missions,” he pointed out.
In response, Minister Kim said, “If it is difficult to (recycle) everything at home, we will try to start (separate disposal) at least at the place where all the waste is disposed of.”
Economy Queen Reporter Kim Jeong-hyeon Photo News 1
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