To prevent nitrogen and phosphorus, which contribute to algal blooms, from entering the Nakdong River, a joint public-private effort will collect compost that has been left unattended near the river and cover it to block rainwater.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced on August 30 that it will launch a "Compost Management Campaign for Water Quality Preservation of the Nakdong River" on August 31 in the Goepyeong-ri area of Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province. The campaign aims to stop leachate from compost that has been piled up or left for long periods from flowing into the river and to educate farmers on proper compost storage and management methods.
The campaign will involve collaboration among the ministry, the Daegu Regional Environmental Agency, North Gyeongsang Province, Gumi City, the Livestock Environmental Management Agency, the Korea Environmental Conservation Agency, the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, the Gumi Chilgok Livestock Cooperative, and local farmers. Participants will collect compost that has been left unattended or is not immediately needed by farmers and transport it to the Gumi Chilgok Livestock Cooperative's Natural Circulation Center, which can process up to 95 tons of livestock waste per day.
To prevent rainwater from seeping into the compost left on-site, covers will be placed over it. Existing covers will also be inspected for tears or damage and repaired as needed. If compost is exposed to rainwater, nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus can leach into the surrounding soil and river. The ministry believes that collecting compost or installing covers before pollutants enter the river is effective in preventing algal blooms.
A survey conducted by the ministry through April of last year found that approximately 1,500 sites of unmanaged compost were identified nationwide, a 60% increase from the previous year. The areas requiring compost management have also expanded from the main Nakdong River to include the Han, Geum, Yeongsan, and Seomjin Rivers, as well as some tributaries. This campaign is seen as a follow-up action to directly collect and manage the compost identified in the nationwide survey.
Kim Eun-kyung, the ministry's Director of Water Environment Policy, stated, "Properly covering compost stored outdoors and timely collection of leftover compost are small actions that can significantly help prevent algal blooms. We will continue our efforts for water quality preservation in collaboration with local governments, relevant agencies, and farmers."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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