85% of Citizens Say "Waste Should Be Renamed as Paper Resource"

It was found that 85% of the public believe the term 폐지 (waste paper) should be replaced with "paper resource."

The Korea Paper Association announced the results of the "2023 Public Perception Survey on Paper" on the 15th in celebration of the 7th Paper Day. This survey was commissioned to Macromill Embrain and conducted from the 26th to the 29th of last month, targeting 1,000 adults nationwide, focusing on perceptions and usage patterns of paper.

Among the respondents, 85.2% answered that 폐지 should be called "paper resource." Most paper raw materials are made from paper separated and collected from homes and offices. Additionally, paper is produced from trees grown legally in systematically managed plantations rather than from primary forests like the Amazon. In this context, the majority of respondents seem to consider "paper resource" a more appropriate term than 폐지.

When asked whether paper is a renewable and eco-friendly resource, 93.8% responded affirmatively. Regarding whether they usually recycle paper, 77.5% said they separate and dispose of paper properly, and 71.9% reported using scrap paper.

In the section on paper usage patterns, preferences between paper and digital devices, as well as handwritten letters versus mobile messengers, were surveyed. When asked which is more suitable for improving study efficiency, such as memorization and problem-solving, 72.5% of respondents chose paper over digital devices.

In comparing means of expressing gratitude, 51.1% selected handwritten letters over mobile messengers. By age group, 60.8% of those in their 20s, 60.5% in their 30s, 51.9% in their 40s, and 41.0% in their 50s preferred handwritten letters. The higher preference among younger generations, who are digital natives having grown up in a digital environment, is particularly meaningful.

Additionally, the most commonly used types of paper in daily life were office paper (38.1%), paper packaging materials (30.3%), books (13.5%), notebooks and diaries (7.1%), paper cups (6%), and newspapers/magazines (4.7%). The main reasons for using paper were the ability to take notes (31.6%), ease of use (28.3%), accessibility (16.3%), readability (10.2%), portability (7.3%), and environmental protection (5.1%).

Lee Bok-jin, Chairman of the Korea Paper Association, stated, "Since its invention over 2,000 years ago, paper has been an indispensable daily necessity for humanity. The value of paper is not limited to recording or transmitting information but is continuously expanding into eco-friendly alternatives and advanced industrial materials."

Meanwhile, Paper Day was established by the Korea Paper Association and related organizations to commemorate June 16, 1902, when paper was first mass-produced by machine in Korea.

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