Busan City Hosts 'High Busan, Bye Plastic' Citizen Experience Event

Commemorating the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee Meeting of the UN Plastic Treaty Held in Busan, Citizen Experience Event Organized

‘Plastic Resource Circulation Busan Network’, BNK Busan Bank, Hyundai Motorstudio Busan, Local Organizations and Institutions

On the 23rd and 24th from 10 AM to 5 PM at Busan Cinema Center, Over 1,000 Participants Including UN Delegates and Citizens, Both Domestic and Foreign

Busan City will hold the ‘High Busan, Bye Plastic’ citizen experience event at the outdoor plaza of the Busan Cinema Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. over two days starting on the 23rd.

Poster for the 5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee Meeting of the UN Plastic Treaty and the ‘High Busan, Bye Plastic’ Citizen Experience Event.

The city planned this citizen experience event to commemorate the ‘5th Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) of the UN Plastic Treaty’ meeting held at Busan BEXCO for a week starting November 25, and to foster public consensus on plastic pollution issues and promote a culture of resource circulation practice.

In particular, this event will be more meaningful with the participation of several cooperative organizations and institutions in Busan, including the ‘Plastic Resource Circulation Busan Network’ formed to commemorate the INC-5 Busan hosting, Busan Museum of Art, BNK Busan Bank, National Pension Service, and Hyundai Motorstudio Busan.

The Plastic Resource Circulation Busan Network consists of Eco Unniya, Our Neighborhood Social Value Management (ESG) Center, Busan Environmental Movement Federation, and Resource Circulation Citizens’ Center.

About 1,000 domestic and foreign participants, including UN conference attendees and citizens, are expected to attend this event, which will operate various programs to raise awareness of plastic pollution and more than 20 exhibition, experience, and promotion booths to provide diverse opportunities for experiencing the transition to a circular economy society.

▲ Revival of discarded banners ▲ Zero waste exhibition and promotion ▲ Collection of used batteries and paper packs ▲ Exhibition and experience of upcycled bird artworks ▲ Eco-friendly fabric softener making experience ▲ Coffee grounds recycling experience ▲ Plastic mill ▲ Upcycled toy bird experience, among more than 20 booths will be operated.

A free beverage booth for tumbler experience and a ‘Life Four-Cut’ photo zone where participants pledge to practice resource circulation are also prepared.

The opening ceremony will be omitted to allow free participation of domestic and foreign visitors and enjoyment of the circular economy culture.

The city plans to create the experience venue using recyclable wood, iron materials, and cotton canvas, and to set an example of an eco-friendly event by reducing paper use through sugarcane paper leaflets and QR surveys, as well as using reusable containers. In addition, a joint campaign will be promoted with the Nakdong River Basin Environmental Office.

During the citizen experience event period, from 10 a.m., visitors can see the media art screening ‘Plastic Landscape’ planned and operated by the Busan Museum of Art at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center. Hyundai Motorstudio Busan (Mangmi-dong, Suyeong-gu) will operate a design exhibition under the theme ‘Plastic, New Discovery,’ providing visitors with opportunities for education and reflection on the seriousness of plastic pollution through cultural and artistic approaches.

Lee Byung-seok, Director of the Environmental Policy Office of Busan City, said, “We hope this event will be an opportunity for citizens’ awareness to shift toward solving plastic pollution problems and resource circulation,” adding, “We plan to continue various activities for the transition to a sustainable circular economy society together with citizens.”