In response to the maintenance period of public incineration facilities, the government has allowed a one-time permission for the direct landfill of 163,000 tons of household waste at the metropolitan landfill. This decision was made during a meeting with the operation committee of the metropolitan landfill management corporation, aiming to mitigate the dependence on private contracts caused by restrictions on direct landfilling at the site. The allowed amount represents approximately 31% of the average annual direct landfill volume over the past three years, which was 524,000 tons.

The necessity for this action stems from legislation passed by the government in January, which aimed to ban direct landfilling of household waste at the metropolitan landfill. However, the law included provisions that would allow exceptions during unavoidable circumstances, such as the suspension of waste processing facilities. This ambiguity led to confusion among local municipalities regarding when to implement private contracts for waste disposal during maintenance periods, resulting in some municipalities pursuing private contracts instead of waiting for government clarity.

Moving forward, the three municipalities involved plan to gradually reduce the exception direct landfill amounts. Particularly, Incheon city announced plans to landfill an amount smaller than its assigned exception this year. Officials have indicated that they anticipate further government guidelines regarding these exceptions, demonstrating a commitment to adjust waste management practices while grappling with logistical challenges during the maintenance of waste facilities.