The South Korean government has revealed a plan to reduce the installation time for public incineration facilities from 11 years and 8 months to 8 years and 2 months. This adjustment follows the ban on direct landfill of household waste in the Seoul metropolitan area implemented earlier this year, which has led to tensions between the regions regarding waste disposal solutions. Despite the shortened timeline, the reduction means it will still take over 8 years to complete the construction of these facilities, indicating that immediate resolutions to the ongoing disputes are unlikely.

During a recent meeting held at the Seoul Government Complex, officials from the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, as well as representatives from Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon, discussed strategies to address the waste management issues arising from the landfill ban. Climate Minister Kim Seong-hwan noted that there are ongoing projects for the expansion of 27 public incineration facilities in the capital region, but if the current pace continues, there will be a prolonged dependence on private waste management solutions. He emphasized the need to hasten the entire process from site selection to completion, which typically takes around 12 years.

The government plans to streamline various stages of the installation process, including reducing the timeline for site selection, planning, and construction. New measures will allow community residents to influence site selection more effectively, and a coordination body consisting of different stakeholders will be established to address bottlenecks throughout the project phases. Additionally, the integration of environmental assessments with permits is expected to further expedite the process, ensuring that administrative delays are minimized as South Korea grapples with increasingly urgent waste management challenges under the constraints of the recent regulatory changes.