Industrial Waste Becomes "Eco-Friendly Deicing Agent"... Korea Expressway Corporation Achieves ESG Innovation

Five Outstanding ESG Projects Selected for 2025
Technological Upgrades Across All Areas: Deicing, Anti-Icing, and Pavement

Korea Expressway Corporation (President Ham Jingyu) has announced the results of its "Outstanding ESG Projects for 2025," which compile the achievements of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives implemented at expressway sites this year.

A total of 68 projects competed in this contest, which underwent a three-stage evaluation process involving the public, experts, and employees. Ultimately, five innovative projects with exceptional environmental performance and public value were selected.

Industrial Waste as 'Eco-Friendly Deicer' Yields ESG Innovation Results for Road Corporation
Five Outstanding ESG Projects Selected for 2025
Technology Upgrades Across All Areas from Deicing, Anti-Icing to Pavement
Photo by Byunggeon Kwon

The top prize went to the "Commercialization of Multifunctional Deicing Agent Using Recycled Industrial Waste," which is recognized as a technology that dramatically reduces structural damage and vehicle corrosion issues associated with conventional chloride-based deicing agents.

This project received high marks for its full-scale application of a non-chloride deicing agent made from recycled industrial waste at expressway sites, simultaneously ensuring winter road safety and reducing environmental damage.

The Excellence Award was given to the "Temperature-Sensitive Road Markings," which utilize AI-based detection technology to display temperature changes through color shifts. This technology intuitively communicates the risk of freezing, maximizing accident prevention, and will be gradually expanded to high-risk areas in the future.

The Encouragement Award included eco-friendly technologies such as using steel by-product "steel slag" as pavement aggregate, which addresses aggregate supply issues and enhances pavement durability. Korea Expressway Corporation plans to expand these achievements across all areas, including expressway construction, operation, and rest facilities.

A representative from Korea Expressway Corporation stated, "Selecting outstanding ESG projects is an important process in which innovative ideas from the field are shared across the entire organization to spread their impact," adding, "We will further strengthen sustainable management that the public can truly experience."

This year's selected ESG projects are significant in that they have evolved beyond simple pilot technologies to fundamentally transform expressway operations. Notably, practical ESG is taking root by fulfilling the three core values of environmental protection, safety, and efficiency.

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