What Is the Unique 'Environmental Love Method' of Gwangjin Residents?

Gwangjin-gu exchanges transparent PET bottles, paper packs, and used batteries for volume-based waste bags, toilet paper rolls, and new batteries

Any Gwangjin-gu resident can apply for exchange once a week at the local community center on Thursday or Friday

Last year, a total of 53,726 residents participated, exchanging over 129,000 volume-based waste bags

Gwangjin-gu (Mayor Kim Kyung-ho) continues to promote a program that collects transparent PET bottles and recyclables in exchange for volume-based waste bags and other items.

Since the full implementation of the transparent PET bottle separate collection system in December 2021, the district has been running the "Transparent PET Bottle Exchange Program" for the second year to increase the recycling rate of transparent PET bottles.

Last year, a total of 53,726 residents participated, exchanging more than 129,000 volume-based waste bags. The average monthly participation was 4,477 residents, showing a significantly high participation rate. In particular, Guui 1-dong saw about 950 visitors monthly, actively engaging in the program.

Additionally, transparent PET bottles were crushed on-site using shredders and sold to recycling companies, generating a total profit of 31 million KRW. To reduce the volume of collected transparent PET bottles and facilitate storage, the district installed dedicated PET bottle shredders at each community center in April last year.

Any Gwangjin-gu resident can bring a certain amount of transparent PET bottles, paper packs, and used batteries to their local community center and exchange them for volume-based waste bags, toilet paper rolls, or new batteries.

Thirty transparent PET bottles can be exchanged for one 10ℓ volume-based waste bag; 1.5kg of paper packs can be exchanged for one toilet paper roll and one 10ℓ volume-based waste bag; and twenty used batteries can be exchanged for two new batteries.

When exchanging, PET bottles must be emptied and have their labels removed; paper packs must be emptied, rinsed with water to remove foreign substances, and dried before bringing them in.

Residents wishing to participate can visit their local community center, where exchanges are held once a week on either Thursday or Friday, depending on the neighborhood.

Thursday exchange days are for Junggok 1 & 2-dong, Guui 2-dong, Gwangjang-dong, Hwayang-dong, and Jayang 1 & 2-dong; Friday exchange days are for Junggok 3 & 4-dong, Neung-dong, Guui 1 & 3-dong, Gunja-dong, and Jayang 3 & 4-dong.

Kim Kyung-ho, Mayor of Gwangjin-gu, said, “Even small actions in separate collection can protect the environment and reduce economic costs,” adding, “We will continue to promote various efforts for resource circulation.”