SEOUL, June 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Methamphetamines and other illegal drug substances were found at all major sewage treatment plants in South Korea.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety conducted a series of regular checks at the 27 major sewage treatment facilities from April 2021 to April 2022, which found methamphetamines in all of the facilities.
The search also found ecstasy at 21 facilities, amphetamines at 17 facilities, and cocaine at four facilities.
The study collects samples from each sewage treatment facility to analyze the types and amount of illegal drug substances and compare them with the current sewage flow rate and the population covered by each sewage facility to determine the usage of illegal drugs.
The ministry conducted a separate intensive study on 13 sewage facilities in the industrial, harbor and vacation regions for more than a week, which found methamphetamines at all facilities, ecstasy at nine facilities and amphetamines at eight places.
The daily estimate of illegal drug usage in the country, however, was far lower than in Australia or Europe, where similar studies are held on a regular basis.
Image Credit: Yonhap / Suwon City Government / photonews@koreabizwire.com
