Gov't vows to address safety concerns after lithium battery fire kills 23

Environment Minister Han Wha-jin speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex in Sejong, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Environment

The Ministry of Environment is making efforts to address growing concerns over the potential fire risks associated with electric vehicle charging facilities after 23 people died in a fire at a lithium battery plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province.

"We are collaborating with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the National Fire Agency (NFA) to prevent electric vehicle fires and enhance charger safety in parking lots," Environment Minister Han Wha-jin said Wednesday during a press conference at the Government Complex in Sejong.

The fire at the lithium battery plant was triggered by an explosive combustion in a battery cell. The government has formed a task force with related ministries to address all measures related to the accident.

"The environment ministry is continuing to monitor air pollution levels in the surrounding areas after the accident, and so far, it has been identified as undetected or below the threshold level," Han said.

With the recent surge in electric vehicle fires, public anxiety is escalating, particularly in light of the recent lithium battery plant fire, as electric vehicles are powered by batteries.

"The most serious problem now is that fire extinguishers are often unsuitable for metal fires," Han said.

Fires caused by metals such as lithium require different extinguishing agents, and there are currently no approved technical standards for fire extinguishers designed for such fires.

The environment ministry plans to develop these standards with the NFA to supply specific extinguishers for metal fires quickly.

Han also addressed the ministry and government's stance on single-use product policies, emphasizing their commitment to waste reduction and recycling.

"Our goal of promoting waste reduction, disposable product reduction and recycling remains unchanged," she said.

She acknowledged that achieving these results will take time due to a shift toward waste reduction with self-regulation.

"I would like to ask for your patience as we wait for the effects to appear," she added.

To enhance recycling quality, the ministry introduced a deposit system for disposable cups, approved by the National Assembly in 2020. Initially slated for nationwide rollout by June 2022, the plan was scaled back, only being applied solely in Sejong and on Jeju Island following protests from single-use cup industry stakeholders.

However, the deposit system is currently facing widespread condemnation due to the low return rates observed in Sejong and Jeju. Companies participating in the ministry's single-use cup deposit program have incurred billions of won in losses.

"We feel sorry for the damage to the companies and will take responsibility for the part that the ministry is responsible for," Han said.

Despite this, Han clarified the initiative would be scaled back, with a renewed emphasis on encouraging self-regulation regarding disposable products.