Gwangyang Steelworks Leads Plastic Waste Resource Recycling

Collection and Recycling of Plastic Bottle Caps in the Community

Donation of Recycling Goods to the Local Community

POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks (Director Lee Jin-su) is taking the lead in waste resource circulation activities by creating goods recycled from plastic bottles discarded in the Gwangyang area and donating them to the local community, actively contributing to the creation of a clean and livable Gwangyang City.

The 'Resource Circulation Plastic Bank Volunteer Group (hereinafter Plastic Bank Volunteer Group)' under Gwangyang Steelworks conducted activities over two days, on the 15th and 16th, collecting discarded plastic bottle caps from various parts of Gwangyang City, including Gwangyang-eup, Jungma-dong, Seonghwang-dong, Gwangyeong-dong, and Geumho-dong.

The Plastic Bank Volunteer Group of Gwangyang Steelworks collected plastic bottle caps in an apartment complex in Gwangyang City on the 15th.
Photo by Gwangyang Steelworks

Under the corporate citizenship management philosophy, Gwangyang Steelworks has been carrying out ESG activities throughout Gwangyang City as a company coexisting with the local community.

Every year, in cooperation with the Jeonnam Social Welfare Community Chest and the POSCO 1% Sharing Foundation, it utilizes donations amounting to about 1 billion KRW to implement projects such as ▲ job creation for the elderly and disabled ▲ support for children in vulnerable groups ▲ support for the settlement of multicultural families.

In addition, 47 volunteer groups specializing in various fields including environment, multiculturalism, children, and senior welfare, including the Plastic Bank Volunteer Group, are active, extending POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks’ warm support to citizens in need throughout Gwangyang City.

Through this volunteer activity, the Plastic Bank Volunteer Group visited plastic bottle collection boxes installed in 26 apartment complexes within Gwangyang City and collected plastic bottle caps donated by local residents.

The collected plastic bottle caps were sent to the Plastic Bank Experience Center located at Baegun Shopping Center in Geumho-dong, where they underwent sorting, crushing, and injection molding processes to be reborn as recycled goods such as toothpaste squeezers and soap holders.

Furthermore, at the ‘Gwangyang Youth Culture House,’ which provides various cultural programs for Gwangyang’s youth, local children were invited to directly experience the plastic bottle cap injection molding process, raising awareness among the future leaders of Gwangyang about the importance of resource circulation and contributing to the creation of a carbon-neutral city.

The recycled products made in this way will be donated back to the local community, enriching the daily lives of residents. In particular, since the plastic bottle caps separated and collected by local residents are recycled again in their daily lives, it is expected to serve as a precedent for a resource recirculation model.

A citizen who donated plastic bottles to the volunteer group on the day said, “Thanks to the volunteer group, our Gwangyang citizens are realizing the importance of resource recycling and are motivated to create an eco-friendly city,” and added, “I am grateful to POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks for taking the lead in making Gwangyang a better place to live.”

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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