Seongdong Shared Center Offers Rental of Hidden Camera Detectors and Window Cleaning Devices

[Seoul District News] Seongdong Sharing Center Adds 5 More Shared Item Hub Delivery Sites, Operating 10 in Total & 770 Shared Items Including Hidden Camera Detectors and Window Cleaners Available... Dobong-gu Resource Circulation Center Renovated to Lead Waste Resource Recycling

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) is solidifying the operation of the ‘Seongdong Sharing Center (Haengdang-dong),’ which operates to realize the value of sharing, by newly installing hub delivery points and expanding shared items.

Opened in 2017, the Seongdong Sharing Center is the only standalone sharing center in Seoul, equipped with over 770 items across approximately 260 categories, aligning with the recent emphasis on addressing environmental issues and the need for resource recycling. Its greatest advantage is that residents can conveniently use items that are necessary in daily life but are difficult to purchase or store due to their high cost, at an affordable price.

The existing five hub delivery points have been increased by five this year, operating a total of 10 locations: Doseon-dong (2 locations), Oksu-dong (2 locations), Seongsu-dong (3 locations), Geumho-dong, Majang-dong, and Sageun-dong (one location each).

On the 24th, at the ‘Seongdong Sharing Center Hub Delivery Point Plaque Ceremony’ held at Seongdong-gu Office, plaques were presented to the heads of the Seongdong Sharing Center and the 10 hub delivery points.

The rental items have also been diversified by collecting residents’ opinions. In addition to tools such as electric drills and generators, which were mainly rented in the existing shared item projects, items useful in daily life such as sound equipment and ping-pong tables that can be used for gatherings or events are available at the Seongdong Sharing Center.

Sharing items like ‘illegal camera (hidden camera) detection devices’ and ‘radon detectors’ that measure radon, a first-class carcinogen, have received great responses from residents concerned about safety. Camping items such as tents and portable tables, expanded due to increased camping demand, are also popular rentals.

The recently added ‘robot window cleaner,’ prepared through resident feedback, is also a popular shared item. Although it is sold on the market for around 100,000 KRW, at the Seongdong Sharing Center, residents can conveniently rent it for just about 2,000 KRW, allowing them to clean the exterior glass windows of high-rise apartments.

According to a satisfaction survey conducted by Seongdong-gu in 2021, 89.2% of respondents had a positive view of the Seongdong Sharing Center’s item-sharing project. Preferences for frequently used shared items were evenly distributed among tools (31%), camping gear (26%), and daily necessities (26%).

Residents wishing to rent items can sign up on the Seongdong Sharing Center website and reserve items, which will then be delivered to the nearest hub delivery point on the requested date for convenient use.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “The Seongdong Sharing Center is the only standalone sharing center in Seoul, sharing various items such as tools, camping gear, and daily necessities. I ask residents to make active use of it. With the expansion of hub deliveries, I hope it will help reduce inconvenience and contribute to spreading the value of sharing, which grows the more we share.”

Dobong-gu Resource Circulation Center Food Waste Resource Recovery Facility

Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) announced that to actively promote resource circulation of food waste and recyclable waste, it has added a recycling sorting facility to the existing food waste resource facility and changed the facility’s name to ‘Dobong-gu Resource Circulation Center’ in 2022.

The ‘Food Waste Resource Facility,’ which converts food waste into feed, was the first of its kind nationwide, installed directly by Dobong-gu in 2001 to address environmental issues caused by the direct landfill ban on food waste and incineration. It currently processes up to 100 tons of food waste daily.

Thanks to this, Dobong-gu has been able to reduce its budget related to food waste disposal compared to other regions. Even during the food waste disposal crisis caused by increased processing costs in 2013, Dobong-gu residents were able to dispose of food waste without inconvenience, unlike other local governments that experienced collection delays and other issues.

Since 2016, the district has been distributing food waste volume-based meters to households, reducing food waste output by more than 25% and creating cleaner alleys. Going forward, it plans to reduce food waste further through projects such as distributing small-scale reducers to households.

Meanwhile, in line with the global trend toward plastic reduction and resource circulation, the district completed modernization of the recycling sorting facility in December 2021 (with a total project cost of 5.6 billion KRW), which integrates collection, sorting, and compression of recyclables into a single process, and has been operating it stably since January 2022.

Notably, the first nationwide introduction of 4th-generation optical sorters and robot sorters has dramatically improved the recycling sorting rate to over 75%, realizing Dobong-gu’s resource circulation economy.

Additionally, the district is producing promotional videos for the Dobong-gu Resource Circulation Center and encouraging visits to the center to raise awareness and consensus on reducing household waste.

Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, urged, “Environmental issues are problems that humans face and that come back to humans. I hope residents will continue to actively participate in waste reduction. Above all, reducing the generation of food waste and recyclables is the most important first step.”