Incheon City Expands Resource Circulation Stores Offering Cash Rewards for Recyclables

Expansion to 155 Locations by 2026

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City is increasing the number of resource circulation stores to promote proper separation and disposal of recyclables and to foster a sustainable resource circulation culture.

The city announced on the 22nd that it will expand the operation of Incheon Resource Circulation Stores, which provide cash (points) rewards to citizens for cleanly separated recyclables, to 85 locations this year.

If recyclables are cleanly separated and brought to a nearby resource circulation store on the designated day, they will be rewarded with cash (points) based on the weight. The collected recyclables are 100% recycled.

Starting with 17 pilot locations in 2021, last year 56 locations across 8 districts participated, involving about 36,000 households, collecting 302 tons of 19 types of recyclables including transparent PET bottles, and returning 72 million won in cash (points).

The collected recyclables have been repurposed into employee name tags, safety vests for sanitation workers, and symbols representing Incheon City.

Resource Circulation Store Operating in Dong-gu, Incheon [Photo by Incheon City]

The number of subscribers to the resource circulation stores increased significantly from 1,244 during the 2021 pilot to 12,412 by the end of last year. The city plans to gradually expand the resource circulation stores to 85 locations across 9 districts this year and to 155 locations by 2026.

Resource managers (a total of 149 people) will be assigned to the stores to provide education and promotion on how to properly separate and dispose of recyclables.

Additionally, to allow users to dispose of recyclables non-face-to-face, 30 unmanned collection machines utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology will be installed to collect and manage data on recyclable disposal and collection.

An official from Incheon City said, "We hope for active citizen participation so that the recovery rate of recyclable resources can increase by properly separating and disposing of waste that would otherwise be discarded."