Exchange 5 Ice Packs for 1 10L Volume-Based Waste Bag... Mapo-gu Launches Ice Pack Recycling Initiative

From March, exchange ice packs for volume-based waste bags at Dong Community Centers... Prevent environmental pollution from microplastics, reduce waste, support small businesses

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Mapo-gu (Mayor Yudonggyun) has launched an ice pack recycling project to address the increasing issue of ice pack disposal alongside the rise in online shopping transactions due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to 2019 data from the Ministry of Environment, about 210 million ice packs are discarded annually, and as of November 2020, online shopping transaction amounts increased by 17.2% compared to the same month the previous year, according to Statistics Korea.

Additionally, with delivery food increasing by 60.6% and beverages and groceries by 47.1% within online shopping transactions, the usage of ice packs is also gradually rising.

Accordingly, the district decided to reuse ice packs that are discarded in volume-based waste bags.

Starting this month, if residents bring gel-type ice packs that can be reused to their nearby community service center, they can exchange 5 ice packs for one 10ℓ volume-based waste bag until the budget is exhausted.

The ice packs collected at the community service centers are cleaned, disinfected, and dried by specialized cleaning and disinfection companies, then sent to local traditional markets, large supermarkets, and sister cities.

The district expects to reuse about 4,000 ice packs monthly, which is anticipated to reduce waste by approximately 2 tons per month and also alleviate the management burden on small business owners.

The district plans to closely monitor the progress of this ice pack reuse project and gradually expand it not only to community service centers but also to public institutions within the area (such as district sports facilities and daycare centers) depending on future budget conditions.

Yudonggyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, stated, “By reusing discarded ice packs, we can achieve a triple effect of preventing environmental pollution caused by microplastics from ice packs, reducing waste, and supporting small business owners,” and added, “We hope many residents will actively participate.”