Exploring the Circular Economy through 'Wasteland' by a British Journalist
'Korea Zinc Road' Established in Australia, a Renewable Energy Hub
Choi Yoon-beom, chairman of Korea Zinc, who is known as a 'reclusive executive' for rarely showing himself to the public, has recently taken a keen interest in environmental issues.
According to industry sources on the 10th, Chairman Choi is avidly reading Wasteland: How Trash Survives Us All.
The book, written by British journalist Oliver Franklin-Wallis, vividly captures the complexity and severity of environmental problems through his investigations of local plastic recycling plants, nuclear waste disposal sites, and Indian landfill sites.
While it praises the circular economy as a radical idea to make the world a better place, it also delivers a harsh critique that it is ultimately an illusion bound to hit physical limits. The book was selected as one of the 'Best Books of 2023' by the British media outlet The Guardian and the American magazine The New Yorker.
Chairman Choi’s deep engagement with this book is interpreted as related to the company’s new growth strategy, 'Troika Drive,' which centers on eco-friendly businesses. Korea Zinc is promoting three major new businesses in the green sector: renewable energy, recycling and resource circulation, and secondary battery materials.
Chairman Choi has defined Korea Zinc’s identity as 'eco-friendly.' At the recent 50th anniversary event, he emphasized, "We can leap forward as a global eco-friendly energy and materials company that serves as a model for humanity," and urged, "Let’s transform our business into the materials and energy the world needs in the most environmentally friendly way."
In particular, in Australia, which the company has chosen as a base for its renewable energy business, a road named 'Zinc Rd' after Korea Zinc has been established. On both sides of the road, solar power facilities installed by Korea Zinc stretch endlessly.
Chairman Choi, who opens a book whenever he has a chance, is believed to have chosen this book not merely as a marketing tool for eco-friendly business but to gain insights from the global waste management realities presented in the book and reflect them in the company’s green management strategy.
This book is expected to inspire Chairman Choi to take even bolder challenges in the circular economy. The author emphasizes that fundamentally reducing waste beyond recycling is the best way to save the environment.
A Korea Zinc official said in this regard, "Worldwide, waste is not properly separated and collected, so most of it ends up in landfills," adding, "We understand that Chairman Choi is reading this book to find ways to maximize recycling and minimize landfill of the waste that will be generated in the future from AI data centers, batteries, solar panels, and so on."
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