Inha University Signs Agreement with Local Governments and Environmental Groups to Establish a Circular Economy for Waste Plastic Resources

Inha University announced on the 4th that it has signed a 'Business Agreement for the Creation of a Waste Plastic Resource Circulation Culture' together with Michuhol-gu, Incheon, Lotte Chemical, Lotte Aluminum, AO2, and the Incheon Environmental Movement Federation.

According to the agreement, Inha University will conduct research on resource circulation linkage plans, support the planning and development of the environmental platform 'EcoCircle' app, and carry out research for creating an eco-friendly circular economy in urban areas.

Michuhol-gu will manage and support the overall project, including promoting the project and running campaigns to improve residents' awareness of resource circulation, while Lotte Chemical will establish a collection system within Michuhol-gu and provide rewards.

Lotte Aluminum will be responsible for manufacturing and operating PET bottle collection machines (PETBOT), the Incheon Environmental Movement Federation will plan resource circulation education programs and dispatch resource circulation instructors, and AO2 will handle the development and operation of the EcoCircle app.

Kim Woong-hee, Vice President for External Affairs at Inha University (third from the left), and Lee Young-hoon, Mayor of Michuhol District (fourth from the left), along with other attendees, are posing for a commemorative photo after signing a business agreement on the 3rd to promote a culture of plastic waste resource circulation.
[Photo by Inha University]

The environmental platform EcoCircle, researched and planned by Inha University and being built and developed by AO2, began through the 2021 citizen participation Incheon Smart City planning living lab project 'Plastic Circular Village Creation.'

Kim Jeong-eun, head of the Digital Innovation Strategy Center at Inha University and the research director, explained, "Through the planning living lab, all sectors including public, private, industry, and academia agreed on the conclusion that confirming the practical value of individuals and organizations and connecting related information are essential for creating a resource circulation village for plastics and other materials, and we planned a platform reflecting this."

He added, "We named it 'EcoCircle' to embody the meaning of a circle (circle) that coexists with the natural order connecting animals, plants, and humans, and the circular economy for environmental practice."

Inha University and the partner institutions and organizations developed additional functions last year, such as recording practice data and accumulating points linked to PET collection machines, and this year they have expanded and are operating in 43 schools.

Furthermore, through the current Michuhol-gu demonstration project, they have additionally developed features such as linking electricity usage data beyond PET collection machines and a challenge function where anyone can propose and practice together, spreading the demonstration project from schools to the community.

The demonstration project linked with Lotte Chemical's Project Loop will install 12 transparent PET bottle collection machines in the Michuhol-gu area and 2 at Inha University.

Kim Woong-hee, Vice President for External Affairs at Inha University, said, "Starting with this agreement, we will plan and operate various environmental practice ideas not only on campus but also with the community to lead environmental practices, including planning the Eco Campus Festival in May. We will strive to play a leading role in creating an environmental practice ecosystem and circular economy in Incheon."

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