Haenam-gun Secures 11 Billion KRW for 2022 Eco-Friendly Buoy Distribution Project

Published 04 Jan.2022 16:02(KST)

Record Largest Scale, Accelerating Achievement of 100% ESG Eco-Friendly Buoy Distribution Rate in 2024

Haenam-gun is supplying eco-friendly buoys. ? Asia Economy

[Haenam＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Hyun] Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, has secured a record-breaking project budget of 11 billion KRW this year and will distribute approximately 1.1 million eco-friendly buoys in 2024.

According to the county on the 4th, this amount is more than three times the 3.2 billion KRW budget from last year, signaling a positive outlook toward achieving the goal of 100% eco-friendly buoy distribution by 2024.

Styrofoam buoys, widely used in fishing grounds, are easily damaged during use and break down into microplastics, which are identified as a major cause of environmental damage to fishing grounds and threats to marine ecosystems.

Since 2015, Haenam-gun has been promoting the eco-friendly buoy distribution support project and has distributed about 830,000 eco-friendly buoys up to last year.

To this end, the county has provided support covering up to 80% of the cost, including national and local government funds, reducing the burden on fishermen to 20%. Increasing the eco-friendly buoy support rate to 80% is the first of its kind nationwide.

The expansion of eco-friendly buoys aligns with Haenam-gun’s ESG ethical management goals, which are a key focus this year, and is expected to boost sustainable fishery development through the spread of eco-friendly aquaculture in the clean seas of Ttangkkeut and marine environment conservation.

More than 80% of the existing Styrofoam buoys have been collected, and through the operation of a Styrofoam waste melter, over 300,000 pieces of waste Styrofoam have been processed this year. The Styrofoam waste melter processes about 1,200 pieces of Styrofoam daily, producing 250 kg of compressed molded material. Since 2015, it has processed over 152 tons of waste Styrofoam, saving approximately 1.7 billion KRW in consignment disposal costs.

A county official stated, “To provide healthy and safe food for all citizens, we will strive to be the first to achieve 100% eco-friendly buoy distribution in clean Haenam,” adding, “We will actively work to ensure sustainable fisheries through the spread of eco-friendly aquaculture in the clean seas of Ttangkkeut and marine environment conservation under ESG principles.”