DISPUTE OVER FOOD WASTE PROCESSOR

[Anchor Lead]

Sales of food waste processor have been on the rise, but there has been confusion over what to do with the dried by-product. The Ministry of Environment claims that incinerating the by-product could generate harmful dioxin, yet fails to provide any solution to the problem.

[Pkg]

Apartment residents put food waste into a machine. A few hours later, the food waste is turned into ash. Volume has also shrunk by 80%.

[Soundbite] JEONG SUN-RAK(YONGSAN-GU RESIDENT) : "It's much better. (What do you like about it?) It's more sanitary."

The problem is what to do with the by-product. According to the current law, the dried by-product is still classified as food waste and must be discarded in designated trash bags for food waste. But not many people are aware of this regulation.

[Soundbite] (PROCESSOR USER(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "(What do you use to discard it?) I use trash bags for general waste. It doesn't matter because the food waste is all dried."

[Soundbite] (PROCESSOR USER(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "I was told to throw away the dried waste in a trash bag."

When the dried food waste is thrown away together with other garbage, most of the dry by-product is incinerated. But a harmful substance may be generated during this process. Previously, in 2014, the Ministry of Environment said that burning the by-products of food waste processors may produce dioxin. Dioxin is an endocrine disruptor that can cause immune system problems or even cancer. Food waste by-product should be collected separately, but no clear measures exist regarding its collection and recycling.

[Soundbite] MOON JIN-KOOK(NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S ENVIRONMENT AND LABOR COMMITTEE) : "I think the Ministry of Environment neglected its duty by encouraging the use of food waste processors yet failing to come up with proper ways to deal with the by-products."

More than 550,000 food waste processors have been sold to private homes, schools, and military bases.