Jongno-gu to Increase Recycling Sorting Rate to 70% by 2025

Efforts Including Implementing Transparent PET Bottle Separation by Day under the 'Comprehensive Plan for Resource Recycling Activation'... Supporting Elderly Newspaper Collectors and Selecting Resource Management Helpers to Aid Effective Recycling Separation

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) is promoting a ‘Comprehensive Plan for Activating Resource Recycling’ to increase the recycling sorting rate and suppress waste generation, thereby contributing to the creation of a sustainable local community.

The goal is to gradually improve the recycling sorting rate to 70% by 2025. Even if residents properly separate recyclables in their daily lives, only about 50% of them are actually recycled, with the rest being discarded.

Accordingly, Jongno-gu has focused on systematically establishing a recycling sorting system and formulated this comprehensive plan.

The main contents include ▲preemptive implementation of a day-based transparent PET bottle separation system for detached houses and others ▲support for elderly people collecting waste paper ▲management system for resource management helpers in waste collection hub areas ▲activation of separated collection of sewing fabric ▲reward system for collecting used batteries and paper packs.

As part of activating resource recycling, Jongno-gu signed a business agreement with BYN Black Yak last December, pledging to join forces to recycle plastic waste. This is to provide recycled plastic for use as raw materials for clothing and bags, in response to the increasing amount of plastic waste due to the spread of delivery culture and the rise of single-person households.

Furthermore, from this month, transparent PET bottle separation and disposal will be preemptively implemented in detached houses and commercial areas. A separate collection system is being established, and to encourage active participation from residents, dedicated bags and leaflets are being distributed to each household, along with active promotional activities in cooperation with BYN Black Yak.

Efforts are also being made to support elderly people collecting waste paper who are active in the private sector and to pre-sort paper materials. A preliminary survey is being conducted on elderly people collecting recyclables using handcarts, and they will be assisted in sorting paper recyclables in alleys where vehicle access is difficult.

Starting in May, 17 resource management helpers will be selected and deployed to locations where separate collection bins are installed, habitual illegal dumping areas, and around clothing collection bins to carefully manage and ensure effective separation of recyclables at the disposal stage before collection.

Meanwhile, the number of sewing-related businesses in Jongno-gu reaches about 1,500, generating 6,000 tons of waste fabric annually, accounting for 40% of the total recyclable waste. Since most sewing businesses operate as small home industries, the district has been separately collecting sewing fabric and transporting it to recycling facilities since 2018.

In addition to the existing paper pack collection reward system (which rewarded residents with tissue paper for bringing in paper packs), a new system will be implemented where residents can exchange used batteries for new ones by bringing them to each community service center to raise interest in proper separation and disposal.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “We aim to embed the value of ‘eco-friendliness’ in all our policies to create a sustainable Jongno,” adding, “From May to November, considering the spread of COVID-19, we will operate recycling markets and help residents participate in reducing waste generation in their daily lives.”

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