On 'Resource Circulation Day,' Various Online Events... "Upload Your Tumbler Certification Shot"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Ministry of Environment announced on the 3rd that it will hold various events under the theme of "Green Transition, Collaborative Resource Circulation" to mark the 12th Resource Circulation Day.

Resource Circulation Day, held annually on September 6, was designated by the Ministry of Environment in 2009 to raise awareness that waste is also a valuable resource and to widely promote the importance and meaning of practicing resource circulation in daily life.

This year's Resource Circulation Day events will not include a separate commemorative ceremony due to social distancing measures related to COVID-19. Instead, the focus will be on online events involving participation from the entire nation and businesses.

Events encouraging resource circulation practices in daily life will be held until the 13th through the resource circulation practice platform website (www.recycling-info.or.kr/act4r) and the Ministry of Environment’s social media (SNS) channels.

Participants can upload certification photos on the Resource Circulation Day Facebook page after receiving drinks in personal reusable cups (tumblers) at coffee shops, or visit the resource circulation practice website to pledge and certify their resource circulation efforts. Winners will be selected by lottery to receive prizes.

To commemorate Resource Circulation Day, companies and local governments that have made significant contributions to resource circulation activities will also be awarded.

SPC Pack, Korea South-East Power Yeosu Plant, and Dongmin Industry Cooperative were selected as "Leading and Outstanding Resource Circulation Sites," while Changwon City Waterworks Office in Gyeongsangnam-do and Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority were chosen as "Excellent Institutions for Recycled Aggregate Utilization."

Korea McDonald's was selected as an "Outstanding Institution for Packaging and Single-Use Item Reduction," and Jung-gu District of Ulsan Metropolitan City and Yangcheon-gu District of Seoul Metropolitan City were recognized as "Outstanding Institutions for Food Waste Reduction."

The Ministry of Environment will sign a written "Voluntary Agreement to Reduce Excessive Packaging" on the 4th with manufacturers, importers, and distributors. This agreement aims to refrain from excessive packaging for promotional purposes and actively promote packaging reduction through the use of bands, rings, and other means.

Through this, it is expected to proactively reduce the packaging waste that has recently surged due to COVID-19 and other factors. Approximately 298 tons of packaging waste are expected to be reduced between October and December.

Minister of Environment Cho Myung-rae stated, "Everyone's participation is necessary for the transition to a sustainable resource circulation society," and added, "We plan to focus on a 'resource circulation policy transformation' that includes reducing waste throughout the entire process, strengthening the public nature of waste treatment, and increasing the added value of generated waste."

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