So-called “Clean Houses” were set up years ago in Jeju in order to organize waste disposal and recyclables. And yet, it is very easy to see that these stations are anything but clean. Mike Laidman reports.


[slug]
Yeon-dong, Jeju City

This is a garbage and recycling station, called a 'Clean House,' in (연동) Yeon-dong, Jeju City. The bins are filled to overflowing with trash.

Each bin is meant for a different kind of waste: there are those for combustibles, paper, and other recyclables. However, much of the waste is not properly sorted between the different bins.

There are plastic bottles in the paper recycling container, as well as garbage that has been thrown away in regular plastic bags, not those sanctioned by the province for trash use.

INTERVIEW
Kim Yeong-cheol / Samdo-dong, Jeju City
This is really ugly. It can’t be like this..bins overflowing with trash.
< 김영철 / 제주시 삼도동 >
이건 아니다 싶어요. 문제인데...이렇게 해서는 안 되는거죠. 이렇게 넘치는 것은 처음 봤네요.

The regulatory trash bags for the east side of Jeju City are meant only for combustible waste. But this rule is often disregarded.

The Jeju Environmental Movement Federation has opened and examined the contents of garbage bags. More than 40 percent of the contents were recyclable.

Now, Clean Houses have become illegal garbage dumping sites.

There have been 120 more fines given this year than last for improper waste disposal.

This is due to the group mentality of “Everybody else does this, so I don’t have to feel guilty doing it.”

INTERVIEW
Kim Byeong-deok / Yeon-dong, Jeju City
When we throw out garbage, we should do it properly and neatly. We cannot rely only on sanitation workers. People need to be aware of that they’re doing.
< 김병덕 / 제주시 연동 >
깨끗하게 해야죠. 버리는 사람도 지저분하게 버리면 안되고 치우는 사람한테만 바랄 게 아니죠. 버리는 사람 의식이 더 중요하죠.

[camera]
Moon Ho-seong

However, authorities don’t seem to have a good solution.

Thus far, the province’s countermeasures are limited to a price increase for the proper garbage bags, as well as more advertising for proper waste disposal.

INTERVIEW
Provincial government representative
Our office is now calculating waste disposal costs. After that, we’ll increase garbage bag prices according to that result and expand our waste treatment facilities.
< 제주도 관계자 >
원가계산 중인데 그 결과에 따라 조례로 종량제 봉투가격을 인상할 예정입니다. 그리고 폐기물처리시설 확충하고요.

This year, the province spent more than 1.2 billion won to advertise proper trash disposal.

[reporter]
Mike Laidman

And despite expensive advertisements and an increase in fines, Jeju’s Clean Houses are just as far as ever from living up to their name.


Mike Laidman, KCTV