"5 Tons of Garbage": Neighbors Reach Out to Resident Suspected of Hoarding in Nonsan

Residents in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, have rolled up their sleeves to improve the living environment of a resident suspected of hoarding who had left piles of garbage inside their home.

According to the city of Nonsan on the 3rd, officials from the Seongdong-myeon Administrative Welfare Center and members of the Seongdong-myeon Community Security Council visited the home of a resident in their 60s, identified as A, over two days on July 28 and 30 to collect waste and clean the interior.

The resident had accumulated household garbage both inside and outside the house for a long period, to the extent that using the bathroom and eating or sleeping were severely disrupted.

Due to this, the indoor hygiene condition was extremely poor, and the risk of fire was constantly present, the city of Nonsan stated.

Resident A was reportedly in a condition suspected of hoarding.

Hoarding is a behavior in which individuals are unable to discard items or waste, piling them up in their living spaces.

Recently, it is recognized as a complex social issue that goes beyond a simple habit, threatening mental health and residential safety, and potentially escalating into conflicts with neighbors.

Amid scorching weather, neighbors including members of the Seongdong-myeon Community Security Council cleared out a total of 5 tons of garbage and completed cleaning and disinfection work.

Kim Chang-ok, chairperson of the private sector committee of the Seongdong-myeon Community Security Council, said, "We will make efforts to timely identify households suspected of hoarding and residents in need of living environment improvements, creating a Seongdong-myeon free of welfare blind spots."

The city of Nonsan plans to pursue continuous case management, not stopping at a one-time environmental cleanup, but connecting customized welfare services to improve daily habits and prevent recurrence.

(Photo provided by Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province; Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.