By Kim Se-jeong
Earlier this year, Lee Dong-hak, 38, published a book on waste problems. Late last month, he also founded a think tank on waste issues in Korea.
"Waste is a very serious global problem. I wrote the book to raise awareness. I also met like-minded people over the years and founded the think-tank to act together," Lee said as to why he founded the think tank which opened late July.
He witnessed the seriousness of waste issues with his own eyes while traveling the world. For two years from 2017, he visited 115 cities in 65 countries to see how people handle their waste and how they suffer from it.
In a small village near Manila, the Philippines, Lee saw ocean waste damaging the neighborhood. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, he witnessed dioxin gas from a tall trash mountain damaging the health of poor residents in the neighborhood who scoured the heap for recyclable items of value.
"I saw how people in poor countries fall victim to waste," Lee said.
On average, he spent three to four weeks in each city, observing the problems and talking to residents, city policy makers and those who work to address the problems outside the government.
In rich cities, he saw different problems.
In Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, he saw people throwing out food waste and plastic waste together.
"People there didn't care so much about waste and expected the government to sort the waste out later for them."
For many years, China was the final destination for many types of waste from rich countries and rich cities. But it changed in 2018 when the Chinese government banned waste imports.
"Now, people in the developed world are asked to behave differently and it is happening. But still the change is slow in coming," Lee said.
Back in Korea, he feels Korea also has a lot to improve.
"Sorting out the waste when you throw it out is very important but we've still got a long way to go. For example, clean plastic bags should be collected separately and recycled."
He is currently working on a second book on the waste issue.
"I hope more people become aware of the problem," he said.
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| Lee Dong-hak |
"Waste is a very serious global problem. I wrote the book to raise awareness. I also met like-minded people over the years and founded the think-tank to act together," Lee said as to why he founded the think tank which opened late July.
He witnessed the seriousness of waste issues with his own eyes while traveling the world. For two years from 2017, he visited 115 cities in 65 countries to see how people handle their waste and how they suffer from it.
In a small village near Manila, the Philippines, Lee saw ocean waste damaging the neighborhood. In Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, he witnessed dioxin gas from a tall trash mountain damaging the health of poor residents in the neighborhood who scoured the heap for recyclable items of value.
"I saw how people in poor countries fall victim to waste," Lee said.
On average, he spent three to four weeks in each city, observing the problems and talking to residents, city policy makers and those who work to address the problems outside the government.
In rich cities, he saw different problems.
In Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, he saw people throwing out food waste and plastic waste together.
"People there didn't care so much about waste and expected the government to sort the waste out later for them."
For many years, China was the final destination for many types of waste from rich countries and rich cities. But it changed in 2018 when the Chinese government banned waste imports.
"Now, people in the developed world are asked to behave differently and it is happening. But still the change is slow in coming," Lee said.
Back in Korea, he feels Korea also has a lot to improve.
"Sorting out the waste when you throw it out is very important but we've still got a long way to go. For example, clean plastic bags should be collected separately and recycled."
He is currently working on a second book on the waste issue.
"I hope more people become aware of the problem," he said.
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