Gyeonggi Special Judicial Police to Launch Planned Crackdown on Environmental Violations at 150 Scrap Dealers in the Province

Gyeonggi Province is launching a crackdown on scrap dealers within the province.

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit will conduct a targeted crackdown on 150 scrap dealers across the province over a two-week period from September 7 to 18, 2026. The objective is to eradicate environmental pollution activities such as the illegal dismantling of waste home appliances by recycling resource collection businesses, commonly known as scrap dealers.

This crackdown aims to prevent the release of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a refrigerant, into the atmosphere during the illegal collection and dismantling of waste home appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners. It also seeks to preemptively block both the accumulation of abandoned waste and illegal dumping, which can result from the reckless collection and storage of unauthorized waste.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are one of the most potent greenhouse gases, with a greenhouse effect up to 10,000 times greater than carbon dioxide. If waste home appliances are dismantled without proper recovery, it can accelerate climate change and environmental pollution. Accordingly, waste home appliances must be collected and processed by authorized waste disposal companies in accordance with the Waste Management Act and related laws.

Additionally, concerns about environmental pollution are mounting as instances increase in which scrap dealers collect and store highly profitable waste beyond the legally permitted items. The indiscriminate collection of waste beyond proper processing capacity can lead to the long-term accumulation of abandoned waste and may eventually result in waste being entrusted to companies lacking sufficient processing capabilities or being illegally dumped, thereby fueling a vicious cycle of illegal waste disposal.

Illegal Scrap Yard Activities Warning Poster by Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit

The Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit plans to intensively crack down on 150 scrap dealers suspected of illegal activity, identified through satellite image analysis, resident reports, and on-site investigations.

The main targets of the crackdown include: ▲ illegal dumping of waste ▲ unauthorized collection, transportation, and recycling of business waste ▲ installation and operation of waste treatment facilities without mandatory reporting ▲ violations of waste treatment standards and methods ▲ failure to recover refrigerant and illegal dismantling of waste home appliances.

The Special Judicial Police Unit will take strict action against detected violations, including pursuing criminal charges under the Waste Management Act and related laws. Matters requiring administrative action will be promptly reported to the relevant city or county authorities.

Kwon Munju, head of the Gyeonggi Province Special Judicial Police Unit, stated, "The leakage of refrigerants during the illegal dismantling of waste home appliances is an environmental crime that directly impacts climate change," adding, "We will establish proper waste disposal practices without exception through strict crackdowns on illegal waste disposal, thereby safeguarding the health and environment of our residents."

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