Junkyard in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do.
A number of blue petrol cans are placed next to a pile of vehicle parts.
Investigators open the canister of gasoline and try to extract the liquid inside.
The amount of gasoline found here is 1,900 litres.
In an unlicensed store, gasoline can only be stored up to 200 litres, which is nine times more.
According to relevant laws and regulations, depending on the type of hazardous material, a designated storage permit must be met, such as a safety distance or the installation of a fire extinguisher.
“All the things that came out are easy to burn. They’re dangerous.”
The Gyeonggi Provincial People’s Livelihood Special Judicial Police Corps investigated 60 garbage yards in the province for illegal handling of dangerous goods over the past two months, and found 15 illegal acts.
The largest number of cases was the storage of dangerous goods in undesignated storage areas (11 cases).
A junkyard in Bucheon City was caught storing 4,000 liters of gasoline, more than 20 times the designated amount, at the business premises, and a company in Icheon City was caught storing 3.6 times more diesel than the designated amount of 1,000 liters.
Two cases of deliberately obstructing fire fighting facilities were also caught.
An official from Gyeonggi-do’s special mission for public welfare said, “The junkyard has many flammable substances, such as hazardous materials, waste oil, and batteries produced during the car dismantling process, so requires thorough management.” “We will continue to address it.”
(Data provided by Gyeonggi-do Civil Welfare Special Judicial Police Corps)
