Cost-effective secondhand store with 13,000 annual transactions... 'Songpa-gu Sae Hwal-yong Center'

Appearance of Songpa-gu Upcycling Center. (Photo by Songpa-gu Office)

Last year, 13,098 items were collected and 13,335 secondhand goods were sold. The Songpa-gu SaeHwalYong Center, which opened in December 2021, is a place that collects recyclable secondhand home appliances and furniture such as refrigerators, washing machines, and wardrobes free of charge, then repairs and refurbishes them for sale.

The products for sale consist of donated secondhand items and goods that have been repaired and transformed into new products. There are a total of 21 types of furniture, ranging from chairs priced in the 10,000 KRW range to wardrobes in the 100,000 KRW range. Additionally, 17 types of home appliances, including refrigerators and air conditioners, are available.

The Songpa-gu SaeHwalYong Center goes beyond the existing recycling centers that only sold secondhand goods by adding value to recycled items and selling upcycled products, as well as operating programs such as repair and experiential education. It is a resource circulation complex space encompassing both Recycling and Upcycling.

Large home appliances and furniture that are reusable but destined to be discarded are reborn as new products through the SaeHwalYong Center.

When moving or if you have home appliances or furniture that you no longer use and feel it’s a waste to just throw them away, you can request the SaeHwalYong Center’s pickup service. For more details, please contact the Songpa-gu SaeHwalYong Center by phone.

In addition, the district has installed and operates an unmanned recycling collection machine in front of the SaeHwalYong Center. By putting transparent PET bottles, which are frequently generated at homes and offices, into the collection machine, points can be accumulated, increasing the recycling rate and helping to prevent environmental pollution.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, “Recycling is essential for activating resource circulation and protecting the environment,” and added, “We hope that the reuse culture among residents will be revitalized through the Songpa-gu SaeHwalYong Center, including the sale of secondhand goods.”