(1) Reasons for Proposal

As the Wastes Control Act (Act No. 16614; promulgated on November 26, 2019; to be enforced on November 27, 2020) was amended to require household waste dischargers to report the performance, method, and contract details of contracted waste treatment to the head of a local government and the Minister of Environment to designate a waste treatment facility inspection agency with technical staff, facilities, and equipment, this Partial Amendment aims to define matters delegated by the Act such as the reporting procedure and method for household waste dischargers and the technical staff, facility, and equipment requirements of waste treatment facility inspection agencies and address other shortcomings found in the operation of the system.

(2) Major Provisions

A. Allow waste treatment in places other than waste treatment facilities (Article 10)

Allow an industrial waste discharger to treat inorganic sludge, dust, and metal waste from its site that produces metal products in places other than waste treatment facilities if the discharger uses them to produce raw materials for metal products.

B. Define household waste reporting procedures and methods (Article 16-5)

Require household waste dischargers to fill out a household waste discharge performance report and report to the competent Special Self-Governing City, Special Self-Governing Province Governor or head of Si/Gun/Gu if they treat household waste themselves, and allow the use of electronic methods.

C. Designate a waste treatment facility inspection agency (Articles 41-2 through 41-7)

Define the range of agencies that can be designated as a waste treatment facility inspection agency, a waste treatment facility inspection agency’s technical staff, facility, and equipment requirements, documents and procedures to be designated or changed as a waste treatment facility inspection agency, things to comply with as a waste treatment facility inspection agency, and regular inspection required at least once a year.

D. Prepare a management system for battery waste from electric vehicles (attached Tables 4, 4-3, and 7)

Create a waste subcategory and number for battery waste from electric vehicles, determine the recyclable type, and define the facilities, equipment, and technological level that a waste treatment business entity should meet to treat such waste.

E. Expand the facilities that can treat liquid food waste (attached Table 5)

Allow public livestock excreta treatment facilities to treat liquid food waste.

F. Rationalize the scope of those subject to waste treatment reporting (attached Table 16)

Limit those subject to waste treatment reporting to any person who has less than 10 tons of recycling capacity per day if such person recycles animal/plant residues, food waste, organic sludge, rice hulls or bran according to the recycling types in attached Table 4-2 3 (a) 4 as their agricultural land fertilizer or livestock feed.

G. Rationalize administrative measures (attached Table 21)

Make administrative measures for failing to meet the heavy metal content criteria in waste used as “auxiliary fuel” in a cement kiln the same as the measures for “alternative fuel.”