Toxic Work Clothes and No Place to Wash Them

Mr. Lee (43, Busan Geumjeong-gu), who works as a metal processing production worker at a factory in Busan's Gijang-gun, always carries another bag besides his commuter bag on his way home - the one that holds his   “work clothes.” He wears these uniforms at industrial sites where he handles various chemicals and heavy metals. They aren't just visibly grimy; they are soaked with substances harmful to health. However, with no facility at his workplace to launder the work clothes, and local private laundromats refusing to accept them, Lee brings them home every single day. Mr. Lee said, “I hand-wash them separately first, then put them in the washing machine,” adding, “In summer, I have to wash clothes for an hour every day, so even after work, it doesn’t feel like the workday is over.” Above all, he said, “I'm always worried that the oil stains from the work clothes left in the washing machine could harm my family’s health.”

According to a November 14th investigation by “Channel PNU”, Busan has only one public laundry facility dedicated to cleaning industrial work uniforms. Even this facility is located in the western part of Busan, making it virtually inaccessible for workers like Mr. Lee who commute from the east. Compared to neighboring areas like Gimhae in South Gyeongsang Province and Ulsan Metropolitan City, which operate public laundries, Busan workers are left in a blind spot for hygienic workwear management. Currently, industrial complexes are densely packed with factories handling chemicals and heavy metals, like the one Mr. Lee works, housing 13 factories in eastern Busan alone, with 614 businesses and more than 15,000 people are estimated to be employed there as of 2024. According to nationwide industrial complex data for the first quarter of 2025, Busan has 39 industrial complexes employing 123,798 workers.

■7 out of 10 say “Public Laundry Facilities Needed”

Workers in the East Busan region unanimously agree that public laundry facilities for work uniforms should be established. According to a “Public Work Uniform Laundry Demand Survey” conducted by the Busan Labor Rights Center from April to June targeting 564 workers in the East Busan region (Gijang County), 7.3 out of 10 respondents stated that such facilities are needed. Park Byeong-Ho (Chairman, Dongbusan Branch of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union) stated, “The Dongbusan area lacks the conditions for properly and hygienically laundering work clothes, such as industrial washing machines,” and argued, “Busan City, Gijang County, and the government need to step in and provide laundry services for workers in these poor industrial complexes.”

Workers in the East Busan area expressed concerns about having to wash their work clothes at home. The same survey revealed that 80.9% (452 people) of workers in the East Busan area wash their work clothes at home, while only 5.91% (33 people), use private laundromats. They cited personal and family hygiene and health (26.9%), difficulty achieving hygienic and clean washing (17.9%), anxiety about residual harmful substances (17.2%), and other issues as difficulties in washing their uniforms at home.

In fact, some workers reported developing skin diseases after washing their work clothes at home. According to Branch President Park, “Most workers frequently complain about suffering from skin diseases.” He continued, “Workers typically receive only three or four sets of work clothes per year. Whether they wash them at home or use the washing machines provided by the company, it is difficult to clean them thoroughly. Consequently, contaminants continue to accumulate, leaving many workers with skin problems.” He also said, "Although there is no scientific proof that oil residues on work clothes cause skin diseases, establishing public laundry facilities for workwear is essential to protect workers' right to health.”

Private laundries are also reluctant to accept industrial complex workers’ uniforms, citing insufficient capacity and the difficulty of cleaning them. Typically, private laundry services for work uniforms are divided into two categories: “factory-type laundries,” which contract with companies, and “general small laundries,” which workers use alongside the general public. According to the district chambers of commerce, Gijang County, a key area in eastern Busan, has only 53 private laundries. The owner of one such laundry (in Gijang County, Busan) told reporters, “We rarely accept work uniforms because no matter how many times we wash them, they never get completely clean.”

■Busan, the only city without support ordinances

Even the sole public workwear laundry facility in the western Busan area is struggling to stay afloat. According to a July 3rd report by the Kookje Daily News, “Dongbaek Ilteo Cleaning,” operated by the Gangseo District Self-Sufficiency Center under a commission from the Busan Shipbuilding & Marine Equipment Industry Cooperative, is facing operational difficulties. Although operating costs are covered by national funds, most of the budget goes toward labor costs, and the burden of equipment repairs caused by oil stains and the cost of rent remains significant. Kim Hee-Kyung (Head of the Policy Research Department, Busan Labor Rights Center) stated, “The Dongbaek Ilteo Cleaning currently in operation has never received any operational cost support from the city since it opened,” adding, “Under the current structure, if a washing machine breaks down, the laundry facility must bear the repair costs entirely on its own.”

As these operational difficulties became apparent, BNK Busan Bank stepped in to support Dongbaek Ilteo Cleaning on November 5th. The bank announced it would rename the laundry “BNK Busan Bank Dongbaek Ilteo Cleaning” and provide an annual fund for rent, equipment maintenance, and improvements to the workers’ environment, aiming to help the laundry’s future self-sustaining operation. However, this support is short-term, with no fundamental solution to the operational challenges yet in place.

The current situation in Busan is particularly serious even when compared to other cities and provinces. The city is the only municipality nationwide operating a public workwear laundry facility, Dongbaek Ilteo Cleaning, without a supporting ordinance. According to the Busan Labor Rights Center, 27 local governments nationwide have enacted ordinances supporting public workwear laundries, and 17 of them actually operate such laundries. Among these, Busan is the only city with a public workwear laundry but no relevant ordinance.

Nearby Gimhae City in Gyeongsangnam-do and Nam-gu District in Ulsan Metropolitan City both have ordinances supporting public workwear laundries and operate such facilities. Gimhae City operates “Gimhae Gaya Cleaning,” a public workwear laundry facility established in 2019. Launched through a public-private partnership involving Gyeongsangnam-do Province, Gimhae City, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), the Gyeongnam Federation of Employers' Associations (GFEA), and local self-reliance centers, it currently launders workwear for 31 companies across four industrial complexes. In Ulsan, Ulsan Taehwagang Cleaning, opened in Nam-gu, Ulsan opened in 2021, under a business agreement with Ulsan City, the Ulsan Community Chest of Korea, and the Ulsan Metropolitan Self-Sufficiency Center. The facility has expanded its service to include washing special fire-resistant suits worn at fire and rescue sites, ensuring health protection and laundry convenience for workers.

Additionally, Yeosu in South Jeolla Province and Gwangju Metropolitan City have enacted ordinances related to public workwear laundries, providing annual operating subsidies of 160 million won and 100 million won, respectively. Jeollabuk-do Province and Incheon City in Gyeonggi Province introduced their respective “Ordinances on the Establishment and Operation Support for Workers” Workwear Laundries in 2023 and 2025. Regarding this, the Busan Labor Rights Center stated, “Busan City must enact a related support ordinance,” adding, “Such a measure would alleviate the operational difficulties of the sole public workwear laundry in the western Busan area and enable a laundry to be established in eastern Busan as well.”

■“Busan City Must Take Active Steps”

Citizens and politicians are also calling on Busan City to take proactive steps in establishing and supporting public workwear laundries. Chairman Park stated, “The Mayor of Busan must demonstrate the will to pursue the establishment of a laundry facility at the city level.” He continued, “The Busan City Council should also enact an ordinance to establish a workwear laundry facility in the eastern Busan area, and the local labor department, business owner associations, and other stakeholders must take the lead together.” Council Member Ban Seon-Ho (Democratic Party proportional representative) told reporters, “Public workwear laundries are significant as industrial safety infrastructure protecting the health of workers and their families. We must establish the framework for installing and operating workwear laundries to ensure sustainable and stable operation.”

In response, Busan City expressed a positive stance toward reviewing the proposal. When questioned by reporters, Busan City’s Job and Labor Division stated, “The city strongly agrees on the necessity of establishing workwear laundries and is actively discussing this with the government from various angles.” They added, “Given the current government’s focus on labor, we expect effective labor policies to emerge in the future.”

※ Channel PNU Special Report Team: Im Hyeon-Gyu, Song Chae-Eun, Kim Seong-Lin

Reporter Channel PNU Special Report Team

Translated by Channel PNU