South Korea updated definition of Waste Toxic Substances aligning with the revised Chemicals Control Act.

On September 26, 2024, the Ministry of Environment announced a partial amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Waste Management Act. This amendment aims to enhance waste management practices and align regulations with current standards.

Key changes include: 

1. Return of Follow-up Management Performance Deposits: Adjusting the interest rate for returning deposits to match the average rate of one-year term deposits at commercial banks. 

2. Updated Definition of Waste Toxic Substances: Aligning with the revised Chemicals Control Act to better classify toxic substances. 

3. Clarification of Medical Waste Categories: Including human secretions such as bodily fluids, secretions, and sputum (excluding blood) as medical waste. 

4. Enhancement of Recycling Facilities: Upgrading classification facilities to enforcement ordinances specifying types of waste treatment facilities. 

5. Standardization of Expiration Dates for Waste Disposal Business Conformity: Distributing expiration dates of conformity confirmations evenly over five years. 

Detailed Amendments 

1. Return of Follow-up Management Performance Deposits (Article 31): 

• The return rate will be adjusted to reflect the average interest rate of one-year term deposits at commercial banks. 

2. Classification of Toxic Substances (Annex 1): 

• Toxic substances will be categorized as acute, chronic, or ecological hazards under the Chemicals Control Act. 

• Additional categories include restricted, permitted, prohibited, and accident-preparedness substances. 

3. Medical Waste Definition (Annex 2): 

• Human secretions such as bodily fluids, secretions, and sputum (excluding blood) will be classified as general medical waste. 

4. Recycling Facilities (Annex 3): 

• Classification facilities will be upgraded to enforcement ordinances specifying types of waste treatment facilities. 

5. Conformity Confirmation Expiration Dates (Schedule 5): 

• The initial expiration date for existing processors licensed until 2023 will be evenly distributed over five years. 

• The validity period will start in the month's first quarter following the approval date. 

The  public consultation ended on November 6, 2024.