[Future in Urban Mining]③ 490,000 Tons Recovered Out of 900,000... Korea's E-Waste Recycling Still Lacking

Urgent Need for a Policy on Collecting Discarded Solar Panels

While the 'urban mining' industry is rapidly emerging as a future growth engine, there are concerns that the domestic electronic waste recycling ecosystem is stagnating and unable to handle the surging volume of e-waste.

According to data submitted to The Asia Business Daily by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment on May 27, 2024, about 490,000 tons of waste electrical and electronic equipment were delivered to recycling companies in 2024, barely increasing from 427,000 tons in 2021. This is only about half the 900,000 tons of annual e-waste generated in South Korea, as estimated by the United Nations (UN) 'Global E-waste Monitor 2024' report. The per capita generation stands at 17.9 kg, nearly three times the Asian average of 6.6 kg.

Starting this year, the government has expanded the scope of the Environmental Responsibility Program (which mandates that producers and sellers collect and recycle discarded products) from the previous 50 items, such as refrigerators and washing machines, to 'all electrical and electronic products.' The Korea Environment Corporation expects that approximately 76,000 tons of additional waste electronic products will flow into the recycling market annually. From next year, items such as clothing care devices, portable batteries, and Bluetooth earphones can also be disposed of free of charge in dedicated collection boxes. The government plans to increase the number of collection boxes from the current 15,000 to 100,000 by 2028 and expects to generate more than KRW 110 billion in annual benefits from the re-utilization of valuable metals. An official from the Ministry of Environment stated, "The UN statistics are estimated without considering secondhand volumes, so a simple comparison with domestic intake volumes can be misleading," but added, "Now that the Environmental Responsibility Program has been expanded this year, we expect to see tangible results by the end of the year."

There is also an urgent need to prepare for next-generation e-waste, such as 'waste solar panels.' While the volume generated is projected to soar from 1,223 tons last year to 10,000 tons by 2032, the fact that such waste is emitted in small and scattered amounts nationwide means that, although a systematic collection system exists, comprehensive policy alternatives are still needed. Kim Kyungmin, Legislative Researcher at the National Assembly Research Service, emphasized, "Future legislation should not stop at merely supplementing disposal standards, but should connect the entire product lifecycle—from design, distribution, operation, and dismantling to recycling—under a unified policy framework."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.