Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police Crack Down on Illegal Acts at Wastewater Discharge Facilities... 18 Violators Caught

Gyeonggi Province has uncovered a large number of businesses that illegally operated wastewater discharge facilities without reporting to the relevant authorities or improperly stored waste.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police announced on July 14 that, ahead of the rainy season, it conducted a two-week intensive crackdown from June 15 to June 26 on 360 major wastewater discharge facilities in the province. As a result, authorities detected a total of 19 illegal acts at 18 businesses found in violation of relevant laws and regulations.

The main violations included: ▲ unlicensed (unreported) operation of wastewater discharge facilities in 9 cases; ▲ failure to report the commencement of operations for wastewater discharge facilities and similar facilities in 3 cases; and ▲ other violations such as improper storage of waste in 7 cases.

Investigation Results of Illegal Activities at Wastewater Discharge Sites During the Monsoon Season

In specific cases, companies such as Company A were found to have operated discharge facilities without obtaining permits or reporting to the authorities. Other businesses installed new wastewater discharge or control facilities but began operating without filing the required commencement report, or they were caught improperly storing waste in violation of disposal standards, which can cause environmental pollution.

According to the Act on Water Environment Conservation, installing and operating wastewater discharge facilities without permission or notification is punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 70 million won.

In addition, failure to report the commencement of operation of discharge facilities is subject to up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won, and violating disposal standards such as improper storage of waste is subject to up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won under the Waste Management Act.

Kwon Munju, head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Special Judicial Police, said, "During the rainy season, poor management of wastewater and waste can have a direct impact on rivers and living environments, so preventive measures and on-site inspections are crucial. We will continue to apply a zero-tolerance policy and take strong action against crimes that threaten residents' safety and clean water quality."

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