Jeju City changed its trash policy this month. Area residents may now only bring out trash in the evenings, and certain types of recyclables may only be disposed of on certain days. Critics say the city is unprepared for the changes. Mike Balfour reports.



Report

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New trash collection system in Jeju City

Beginning this December, a new system for trash collection is being tested in Jeju City. It allows residents to take out certain types of trash on certain days of the week.


According to the new plan, the time frame for disposal of trash and recyclables is limited - from 6 p.m. to midnight.


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Government workers fan out across city to help residents


During the first week of December, Jeju City employees will be dispatched to trash stations to help residents conform to new system.

Interview
Yun Seong-hong / Jeju City administration
Government workers and residents are working at Clean House trash collection stations around the city to encourage people to follow the new rules.
<인터뷰:윤성홍 제주시 생활환경과장>
"공무원들하고 시민들하고 지킴이들하고 클린하우스에 나가서 근무하면서 홍보해 나갈 계획입니다."

But the trash collection plan doesn’t look perfect.

The city doesn't have enough specialized vehicles for the collection of recyclables.

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City to purchase 18 one-ton trucks

The government is planning to purchase 18 one-ton trucks.

However, the purchase won’t happen until the latter half of this month.


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Specialized vehicles to be bought next year

A budget to purchase the specialized vehicles is allotted for the fiscal year of 2017.

The government is not well prepared for the new system and during the testing period there are many possible glitches.


Residents are only able to use food waste disposal machines between 6 p.m. and midnight.


All food waste machines are remotely programmed so that they cannot be operated at other hours of the day.

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‘No flexibility’ in new system for weekend disposal

As well, the new system does not provide flexibility in hours of operation between weekdays and weekends.


[Reporter] Mike Balfour
[Camera] Moon Ho-seong


Due to lack of planning, the municipal government’s new trash collection system is likely to be an inconvenience for residents.


Mike Balfour, KCTV