Yangpyeong County to Produce and Distribute Dedicated Glass Bottle Sacks Made from Recycled Banners

Simultaneous Benefits of Waste Reduction, Resource Circulation, and Budget Savings: A Win-Win-Win Initiative

Yangpyeong County in Gyeonggi Province (Governor Jeon Jinseon) announced on August 13 that it will launch a project to produce and distribute "dedicated glass bottle sacks" made from recycled used banners, in an effort to reduce household waste and promote resource circulation.

Recycling site for used vinyl banners. Provided by Yangpyeong County

Previously, used banners discarded after local events or promotional activities were mostly collected and incinerated by contracted waste disposal companies, which contributed to environmental pollution. By repurposing these banners into sturdy and durable sacks specifically for glass bottles, the county aims to decrease the amount of waste generated and improve the efficiency of glass bottle separation and collection.

The newly produced glass bottle sacks are made by cutting and sewing recycled used banners. They are more durable than conventional sacks and can be washed, allowing for long-term reuse. In the past, placing glass bottles in plastic bags for disposal often led to breakage and safety accidents during collection. The new sacks are expected to prevent such incidents and improve convenience during transportation. In addition, the county expects to save 18 million won annually, which was previously spent on incinerating used banners.

On August 11, the county signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Green Power Plant, a specialized used banner recycling company based in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Under this agreement, all banners generated within the county will be collected and repurposed into a total of 11,000 dedicated glass bottle sacks in two sizes-20 liters and 40 liters. These sacks will first be distributed to apartment complexes, designated collection points, and village halls within the county. Based on residents' feedback and the efficiency of the collection process, the county plans to expand the distribution targets in 2026.

Yangpyeong County Governor Jeon Jinseon stated, "This project is expected to become a model case of achieving resource circulation, budget savings, and safer sanitation management all at once by giving new life to discarded banners." He added, "We will consider expanding the project based on operational results and will continue to explore various recycling initiatives."

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