Yangcheon-gu Provides Safety Supplies to Elderly Newspaper Collectors

From the 12th, distribution of quarantine masks, cooling towels, and luminous safety belts to 133 elderly paper collectors in the region... Support to protect the safety of elderly who cannot stop collecting paper due to livelihood despite the prolonged COVID-19 situation

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) has stepped up to help elderly cardboard collectors who are struggling to make a living due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

With the COVID-19 situation causing a sharp drop in the prices of recyclable materials, the livelihoods of elderly cardboard collectors have become even more precarious. The price per kilogram of waste paper has significantly fallen, and the amount of scrap materials offered by stores has also greatly decreased due to the economic downturn.

In response, Yangcheon-gu has taken measures to protect elderly cardboard collectors in crisis and provide practical assistance by supporting safety equipment so they can collect cardboard in a healthy and safe manner.

First, the district conducted a survey of 24 scrap dealers in the area to identify the number of elderly cardboard collectors. The results showed that 133 people were engaged in cardboard collecting activities, of whom 127 were aged 65 or older, accounting for 95.4% of the total elderly population. Among them, 20.3% were recipients of basic livelihood security or belonged to the near-poverty class, and 82.7% were low-income individuals earning below the median income standard.

Based on the survey results, the district plans to distribute safety supplies such as quarantine masks, reflective safety belts, and cooling towels to each neighborhood on the 12th, guiding elderly cardboard collectors to receive them at nearby community centers. In the second half of the year, the district will provide winter supplies and conduct traffic safety education.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, stated, “The elderly who have fallen into welfare blind spots due to COVID-19 are being pushed even further into these blind spots. We hope this project will help elderly cardboard collectors carry out their activities safely.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.