Gwangju Seo-gu Transforms Old Banners into Recycling Collection Bags

Published 21 Mar.2022 13:22(KST)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, has designated the period from this month until June as a pilot project period for recycling discarded banners. The discarded banners collected within the district will be made into recycling collection bags and supplied free of charge to apartment complexes and other places.

According to Seo-gu on the 21st, the presidential election was held this month, and a large amount of discarded banners is expected to be generated after the simultaneous local elections in June. However, the reality is that while efforts focus on crackdowns and maintenance, there is little interest in recycling methods for the collected banners.

Due to the dyes and material characteristics used in the production process of banners, incineration releases dioxins, a first-class carcinogen, and microplastics, causing environmental pollution.

Seo-gu plans to collect all discarded banners after the elections and produce recycling bags with the participation of the Seo-gu Green Leader Council.

The recycling bags made in this way will be distributed to apartment complexes and used as substitutes for recycling collection bins, or for storing items such as waste batteries at resource recovery centers, or as bags for collecting fallen leaves in autumn.

A Seo-gu official said, “It is expected to contribute not only to preventing environmental pollution by increasing the amount of recyclables collected and reducing incineration, but also to reducing carbon emissions and promoting resource circulation.”