Government Dangles Incentive To Cooperate on Incinerators

The central government plans to increase the amount of money it spends to subsidize garbage incinerators that are run by two or more local governments, the Ministry of Planning and Budget announced Thursday.

Starting next year, the government will increase its subsidy for newly built waste incinerators that are operated by two or more local governments by 10 to 20 percent, the ministry said.

The central government will stop providing subsidies to waste treatment facilities that are run by a single local government so as to prevent local governments from building their own, small-scale facilities, which are a major source of pollution.

A total of nine incinerator facilities nationwide are expected to receive financial support from the central government. Seven facilities are already under a construction while the remaining two facilities will be built next year, it said.

The cost of the additional subsidy is estimated at around 5.6 billion won ($5 million), the ministry added.

The increase in the subsidy will help address the "not-in-my-backyard syndrome" that occurs when residents object to the location of a proposed incinerator. It will also reduce local government expenses and control the spread of small plants that burn waste illegally, the ministry said.

by Oh Jung-hee