Used Ice Packs in Gangdong-gu Sell Like Hotcakes at Traditional Markets

Published 10 Jul.2020 10:52(KST)

Collected 107,000 Ice Packs, Achieving 50 Tons Reduction in Waste

On July 1st, reusable ice packs were distributed to market vendors at Dunchon Station Traditional Market.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] “Before the reusable ice packs even arrive, market merchants are lining up and waiting. The demand is so high that supply can't keep up.”

Gangdong-gu (District Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is receiving great responses for its ‘Reusable Ice Pack’ initiative, promoted in cooperation with civic groups and traditional markets.

About two weeks after signing the ‘Traditional Market Ice Pack Reuse Business Agreement’ with the Traditional Market Merchants Association and the Environmental Owner Citizens' Group, the district delivered over 8,000 reusable ice packs to traditional market merchants.

It is popular not only for environmental protection but also as support for small business owners suffering from COVID-19. Residents are highly satisfied that ice packs, which were difficult to dispose of in households, can be reused in an eco-friendly way.

As the eco-friendly ice pack collection system has become known nationwide, benchmarking continues. More than 60 local governments including Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Busan have shared this case, and various requests for materials have been received from companies and universities. It has been praised externally as an eco-friendly policy that brought innovation to residents' lives, winning the Seoul City Creative Administration Excellence Award in May 2019, the ‘Korea Policy of the Year Award’ in December of the same year, and being selected as an excellent case in the ‘Resident Life Innovation Case Expansion Support Project’ hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in May 2020.

Gangdong-gu signed a tripartite business agreement among the public, private, and corporate sectors in March 2019 and established the nation’s first ice pack reuse collection system. This year, it started a new challenge together with ‘traditional markets’.

The district manages 18 dedicated ice pack collection boxes and supports the overall eco-friendly collection system. The Environmental Owner Citizens' Group is responsible for collecting, organizing, and promoting the ice packs, while the Traditional Market Merchants Association identifies the demand for reusable ice packs among market merchants and delivers them accordingly.

The collected ice packs undergo thorough hygiene processes such as washing and sterilization before reuse, and are provided free of charge to markets, food companies, restaurants, supermarkets, residents, and other places in need.

So far, more than 107,000 ice packs have been collected, achieving a reduction of 54 tons of household waste. The district plans to continue efforts to promote proper ice pack separation and disposal methods and improve residents' awareness.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “Gangdong-gu’s innovative case of ice pack reuse is gaining widespread sympathy and spreading nationwide. Resource saving and environmental protection start with small daily practices. We will promote various projects that lead to green living practices such as reducing disposable products and plastics to pass on a beautiful Earth to future generations.”