Eight thousand dedicated collection bins for safely disposing of small waste electronics, such as portable batteries and fans, will be installed by the end of the year. The government is also enhancing guidance on separate disposal to prevent fires caused by damaged batteries during the recycling process.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced on September 30 that it will distribute informational posters to local governments nationwide to encourage the separate disposal of small waste electronics containing batteries and will add 8,000 dedicated collection bins by the end of the year.
Disposing of portable batteries or fans in general waste bags or mixing them with other recyclables like plastic and vinyl can lead to compression or damage to the batteries during recycling, significantly increasing the risk of fire.
Since January, the ministry has expanded the producer responsibility recycling system for electrical and electronic products to cover all items. In collaboration with local governments and the recycling cooperative, the Circular Governance, approximately 55,000 waste electronics collection bins have been installed nationwide as of September.
From August, the government conducted a two-month survey of local governments to assess the current status of collection bin installations and additional demand, identifying areas lacking waste electronics and battery collection bins. Based on this, it plans to install an additional 8,000 dedicated collection bins in collaboration with the Circular Governance by the end of the year.
The locations of these collection bins will also be easier to find. Currently, only the locations of bins installed by the Circular Governance are marked on online maps, but starting next month, the locations of bins installed by local governments will also be added.
Posters detailing the proper disposal methods for battery-containing products will be affixed to recycling stations in multi-unit housing. Local governments have been requested to include messages on general waste bags indicating that portable batteries should not be disposed of in them.
Kim Go-eung, Director of Resource Circulation at the Ministry, stated, "Improperly discarded portable batteries can cause fires at recycling facilities. Please do not dispose of waste electronics containing batteries in general waste bags or plastic recycling bins; instead, use the nearest waste electronics or battery collection bin."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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