They say an industrial waste facility will be built near my home; what should I do first? - 경향신문

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Illegal waste left unattended on August 28, 2024, is piled up throughout a construction waste treatment company in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon. Han Su-Bin

Last year, 155.77 million tons of industrial waste were generated nationwide. Facilities to treat industrial waste are necessary, but civil society groups point out that the disposal burden is being concentrated in certain rural areas and small regional cities. There are also many cases in which residents learn about industrial waste facility projects only after the fact.

If you hear that an industrial complex or an industrial waste treatment facility will be coming to your area, what should you do first? Based on the guide produced by the Center for Freedom of Information and Transparent Society, the Nongbon Public Interest Law Center, and Babo Nanum, titled How Should We Respond to Reckless Development and Environmental Pollution Facilities in Our Community, this article organizes in a Q and A format the procedures and responses that residents should check from the early stages of a project.

Q. What steps are required for an industrial complex to be established?

A. When a private developer submits a letter of intent to invest for the creation of an industrial complex to the local government, the local government prepares an industrial complex plan and consults with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Afterward, if the Industrial Location Policy Deliberation Committee of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport reflects it in the annual plan for industrial complex designation, the developer may submit an application for approval of the industrial complex plan. Once the application is received, the local government must notify residents and collect opinions.

Thereafter, the environmental impact assessment process proceeds. First, the decision that defines which items and scope the assessment will cover is disclosed, and after the assessment is completed, the draft is disclosed to residents to gather opinions. For industrial complexes subject to environmental impact assessment, a briefing session for residents is mandatory.

Residents may also request a public hearing. If 30 or more residents request one, or if five or more residents do so and they account for at least half of all those who submitted opinions, the local government must hold a public hearing. Construction begins after approval of the implementation plan and completion of land expropriation procedures.

Q. Where can I view the industrial complex plan, the assessment items for the environmental impact assessment, and the draft environmental impact assessment?

A. The application for approval of an industrial complex plan can be inspected at the urban planning department of the city or county office, or at eup, myeon, or dong community service centers. You can also check industrial complex plans nationwide on the notices and announcements boards of metropolitan city and provincial, and city, county, and district websites, as well as on the Industrial Location Information System.

The assessment items for the environmental impact assessment can be found on city, county, and district websites and on the Environmental Impact Assessment Support System (EIASS). The draft environmental impact assessment can be inspected on the Environmental Impact Assessment Support System, at city, county, and district offices, and at eup, myeon, and dong community service centers (at least one per city, county, or district). Summaries are also posted on city, county, and district websites.

Q. What is the process for waste treatment facilities?

A. For landfills, incinerators, and recycling facilities, the process varies by scale. All landfills and incineration facilities that process at least 100 tons per day are classified as urban planning facilities.

The developer submits a waste treatment business plan to the administrative authority, and upon receiving a notice of suitability, proposes the initiation of an urban management plan. After the local government reviews the proposal and reflects it in urban planning, the project can proceed. Notices related to urban management plans can be found on local government websites or at the urban planning departments of city or county offices.

Waste treatment facilities above a certain size must undergo an environmental impact assessment or a small scale environmental impact assessment. Incineration facilities of at least 100 tons per day are subject to a full environmental impact assessment, and for facilities of at least 50 tons per day, applicability may vary depending on project size and location.

Facilities subject to small scale environmental impact assessment may not go through public inspection of the draft assessment, resident briefings, or public hearings. Facilities not subject to environmental impact assessment need only submit an environmental feasibility report, which can make it difficult for residents to access project information.

Q. A briefing session or a public hearing is to be held. What should I do?

A. When an application for approval of an industrial complex plan is received, the local government must hold a resident briefing session within 20 days. Resident briefings are also held during the environmental impact assessment process, and the two briefings are often held together.

If 30 or more residents request it before the end of the public inspection of the draft environmental impact assessment, a public hearing must be held. At the hearing, residents may recommend speakers to present opinions.

At briefings and hearings, it is advisable to make a record, such as by recording the presentations or taking photographs. Keeping the materials and explanations presented by the developer will help when checking for changes later in the process or when submitting opinions.

Q. What should I look for when reviewing the environmental impact assessment?

A. The draft environmental impact assessment can be reviewed through public inspection, but the final version is disclosed only after interagency consultation is completed. Because items such as industry type, production scale, and pollutant emissions may change between the draft and the final version, it is advisable to file an information disclosure request immediately after the consultation ends and compare the two documents.

In particular, pay close attention to pollutant emissions and wastewater generation, air pollutant emissions, process details, and impacts on ecosystems.

Q. The process has already advanced to land expropriation. What should I do?

A. Once the implementation plan for industrial complex development is approved and land expropriation begins, it is very difficult to reverse the project. Experts advise that the most important step is to examine documents and submit opinions during the early stages, namely the notice of the industrial complex designation plan and the environmental impact assessment stage.