Landfill of Hazardous Wastes in Korea

국내 특정폐기물의 매립현황

Although landfill has been heavily relied upon as a final hazardous waste disposal method in Korea, the legal and technical problems associated with the landfill severely hinder proper disposal of hazardous wastes. The single largest legal problem is simply that, in spite of the recent amendments, the law regulating the hazardous waste landfill is yet in its primitive stage that even the lawful landfill sites cannot be regarded safe. The technical problems include improper selection of landfill sites, poor design and construction of landfill facilities, and lack of QA/AC and post-closure cares. These technical problems stem from inexperience and lack of resources. For the reduction of the potential danger from the improper landfills of hazardous wastes, it is an immediate need to further refine the law and to resolve the technical problems.