Jangseong-gun Promotes 'Separate Collection System for Transparent PET Bottles'

[Jangseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jo Hangyu] Jangseong-gun, Jeonnam Province, has launched an intensive campaign to establish the ‘Separate Collection System for Transparent PET Bottles’.

The county announced on the 26th that it will operate a focused promotion period from the busy summer vacation season to the Chuseok holiday on the 17th of next month to improve public awareness and encourage participation in the ‘Separate Collection System for Transparent PET Bottles.’

The ‘Separate Collection System for Transparent PET Bottles’ is a system where transparent PET bottles, which have low contamination and can be recycled into high-quality materials, are disposed of in dedicated separate collection bins.

When transparent PET bottles are mixed with other waste, they can only be recycled into low-quality products such as ropes or cotton, but when collected separately, they can be processed into high-quality recycled raw materials and manufactured into clothing, shoes, bags, and more.

Since increasing the added value of recyclables allows them to be used as recycled raw materials replacing existing materials, the stable establishment of this system is necessary to achieve carbon neutrality.

Accordingly, during this focused promotion period, the county plans to use websites and other channels to guide the correct separation and disposal methods for transparent PET bottles (empty, remove labels, crush, close the cap) and conduct promotions targeting apartment complexes and large-scale waste producers.

They also plan to conduct inspections to prevent mixed disposal so that transparent PET bottles are not mixed with general plastics and can be properly recycled.

A county official said, “From December, the mandatory separate collection of transparent PET bottles will be fully enforced. Although it may be slightly inconvenient, we ask for the public’s interest and participation to correctly separate recyclable resources so they can be recycled into high-value products.”

Jangseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jo Hangyu baekok@asiae.co.kr