Waste Research Institute ‘Saerom’ Significantly Enhances Experiential, Exhibition, Participatory, and Play-Based Content
Spaces Provided for Children and Adolescents to Practice Waste Separation and for Residents to Share Resource Circulation Products
Second Floor Remodeling to be Completed in September, Featuring Exhibitions of Eco-Friendly Upcycling Products
Seoul Jung-gu (District Mayor Kim Gil-seong)’s Waste Research Institute ‘Saerom’ is undergoing a major transformation.
By expanding experiential and play spaces, the institute has greatly strengthened participatory education-focused content. If you are looking for fun and educational indoor activities to enjoy with children during the hot summer, why not visit ‘Saerom,’ the only waste research institute in Jung-gu?
‘Saerom,’ which opened in October 2021 as the nation’s first waste research institute, approaches waste issues from the perspective of resource circulation. Under the principle that waste generated in the area is processed locally, it has provided various educational programs on resource circulation and served as a hub space for resource circulation in the community. However, some residents expressed concerns about outdated facilities and insufficient experiential content. In response, the district completed remodeling in February this year and significantly enhanced the content in July, allowing residents to enjoy a wider variety of experiential activities in a more comfortable environment.
Upon entering the first floor, visitors encounter a diverse range of resource circulation educational content designed for experience, exhibition, participation, and play. Children and adolescents can directly practice waste separation by item category with provided recycling kits, necessary tools for separation, and collection bins.
The recycling process is visually diagrammed on a large scale for easy understanding, and exhibition-type content has been strengthened with various brochures such as item-specific separation guides.
Additionally, a space has been created to exhibit resource circulation artworks made by residents, and shelves have been set up for residents to share unused household items. There is also a photo zone where visitors complete designs using colored plastic caps and take commemorative photos. This encourages residents and visitors to naturally engage in play, participation, and resource circulation together.
When the second-floor remodeling is completed in September, the attractions will become even richer. Through a business agreement with Doosan Distribution BU and collaboration with the eco-friendly resource circulation platform REZN105, eco-friendly upcycling products will be exhibited. These include interesting products that anyone interested in the environment may have seen, such as bamboo toothbrushes and solid toothpaste. The products will be rotated regularly to provide visitors with a diverse viewing experience.
From October 4 to 31, a community event called ‘Enjoy Saerom’ will be held. Various events, including resource circulation quizzes and upcycling experiences, will be prepared to allow visitors to experience the newly transformed ‘Saerom.’
Kim Gil-seong, Mayor of Jung-gu, stated, “With the metropolitan area landfill ban taking effect in 2026, it is more important than ever to improve awareness of resource circulation. We will continue to fill ‘Saerom’ with diverse content to ensure that good disposal leads to good reuse in resource circulation.”
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