Yeosu-si Recovers and Reuses Ice Packs... Practicing Greenhouse Gas Reduction in Daily Life

Yeosu, the Central City for Hosting COP28, Launches "Right Now! Starting with Me" Citizen Action Campaign

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek] Yeosu City, Jeollanam-do, the central city bidding for COP28, will take a step closer to becoming a carbon-neutral city by launching a large-scale ice pack reuse project involving citizen participation starting from the 26th.

With the recent increase in single-person households and the expansion of food delivery services due to COVID-19, the use of ice packs has surged. Gel-type ice packs are filled with superabsorbent polymers, a type of microplastic, which take 500 years to decompose naturally and can cause significant environmental pollution if buried or discharged into rivers and seas.

On the 28th of last month, Yeosu City held an on-site meeting chaired by the vice mayor at an apartment collection site within the city to examine issues related to residents' disposal of ice packs and to hear vivid voices from the field.

This project will be operated through direct citizen participation. From the 26th, citizens will be able to wash clean ice packs and place them in collection boxes. At each collection site, resource management helpers and apartment complex managers will cooperate to sort and organize only usable ice packs. Anyone in need of ice packs can take as many as needed from nearby apartment complex collection sites, wash them, and reuse them.

The city has begun preparations, including production, to install a total of about 900 ice pack collection boxes at 27 town and township community centers and 110 mandatory management apartment complex waste collection sites.

By supplementing the shortcomings of the collection reward system and reducing landfill and incineration volumes through separate disposal of ice packs by citizens and local governments, this initiative will participate in greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Small business owners are also expected to benefit indirectly by reducing ice pack purchase costs, achieving a triple effect.

A city official said, “The ice pack reuse project is a small practice toward realizing a carbon-neutral city, and we hope for active interest and participation from citizens.” He added, “Those who need ice packs, such as traditional markets and Gat Kimchi factories, are encouraged to contact the Urban Beautification Division at ☎061-659-3839 anytime.”

Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Sim Kyung-taek simkt7@asiae.co.kr

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