Lotte Chemical, Lotte Aluminium, and Michuhol-gu, Incheon City Sign Agreement
Establishing a Network to Foster Proper Plastic Waste Separation Culture
Lotte Chemical's ongoing 'Project LOOP' is expanding into a joint social contribution initiative within the Lotte Group's chemical sector. Through collaboration with local governments and academia in the Incheon area, it aims to expand plastic waste collection hubs and promote a proper waste separation culture.
Lotte Chemical, Lotte Aluminum, Michuhol-gu District of Incheon, Inha University, Incheon Environmental Movement Federation, and AO2 signed an agreement to operate a resource circulation system and establish a mutual cooperation network for fostering a proper waste separation culture. From the left in the photo are Shim Hyeong-jin, Co-Representative of Incheon Environmental Movement Federation; Seo Hye-young, Director of AO2; Kim Woong-hee, Vice President for External Affairs at Inha University; Lee Young-hoon, Mayor of Michuhol-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City; Cho Hyun-chul, CEO of Lotte Aluminum; and Choi Young-kwang, Head of Communications at Lotte Chemical, posing for a commemorative photo at the signing ceremony. Photo by Lotte Chemical
On the afternoon of the 3rd, Lotte Chemical, Lotte Aluminum, Michuhol District Office of Incheon City, Inha University, Incheon Environmental Movement Federation, and AO2 signed an agreement at the Michuhol District Office in Incheon. Attendees included Cho Hyun-chul, CEO of Lotte Aluminum; Choi Young-kwang, Head of Communications at Lotte Chemical; Lee Young-hoon, Mayor of Michuhol District; and Kim Woong-hee, Vice President for External Affairs at Inha University. The agreement aims to establish a resource circulation system and build a mutual cooperation network to foster a proper waste separation culture.
Through this agreement, the six organizations will share necessary information and seek cooperation and mutual support measures to expand the program.
Specifically, Michuhol District will support overall management and operation of the project, including business promotion and campaign operation for awareness improvement. Lotte Chemical will establish a waste separation and collection system within Michuhol District and provide rewards. Lotte Aluminum will manufacture and operate PET bottle collection machines (Petbots). The Incheon Environmental Movement Federation will plan resource circulation education programs, dispatch resource circulation instructors, and support collection hub management. Inha University will support research on resource circulation linkage methods and the planning and development of Eco Circles. AO2 will be responsible for developing and operating the related app.
Since January 2020, Lotte Chemical has been promoting Project LOOP to improve the culture of plastic waste collection and establish a plastic circular economy system through recycling. This agreement is part of the 'LOOP Cluster,' which promotes sourcing recycled materials in collaboration with local governments and public/private facilities.
Since last year, Lotte Chemical has been cooperating with Lotte Aluminum, Incheon Office of Education, and the Incheon Environmental Movement Federation to install and operate 40 collection machines last year and 23 this year in schools across the Incheon area. Through this agreement, Michuhol District will install an additional 12 machines at the district office, Inha University, and community administrative centers, operating a total of 75 collection machines in the Incheon area.
Plastic waste collected in the Incheon area will also be linked with social venture companies from Project LOOP phases 1 and 2 for utilization discussions.
Kim Kyo-hyun, Vice Chairman of Lotte Chemical, stated, "We plan to continuously expand collection hubs and advance processes. Project LOOP will serve as a 'platform' that creates connections allowing various organizations to participate in establishing a virtuous resource circulation culture."
Cho Hyun-chul, CEO of Lotte Aluminum, said, "We are pleased to contribute to expanding a proper plastic waste collection ecosystem in the region as part of Project LOOP. Lotte Aluminum will continue to accelerate the implementation of a resource circulation economy and ESG management."
Meanwhile, Project LOOP is also expanding and developing beyond the LOOP Cluster with initiatives such as 'LOOP Social,' which discovers related social ventures; 'LOOP Lotte,' which spreads recycling culture and expands material usage within the Lotte Group; and 'LOOP Alliance,' which aims to expand recycling ecosystems across various industries.
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