310,000 Ice Packs Reused Last Year
Significant Resource Conservation Effects
Ulsan City is promoting the "Ice Pack Circulation Activation Project," which reuses single-use ice packs to reduce waste and conserve resources.
The Ice Pack Circulation Activation Project collects discarded ice packs through dedicated collection boxes installed in apartment complexes, administrative welfare centers, and other locations. Reusable products are selected, cleaned, and then supplied free of charge to traditional markets, fish markets, and other places.
Due to difficulties in disposing of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) ice packs discarded after use, a waste disposal fee (313 KRW/kg) has been imposed on the production of SAP ice packs since April 2023 through amendments to related laws. As a result, consumption of eco-friendly ice packs, which are relatively cheaper, is gradually increasing.
Superabsorbent polymer is a plastic that absorbs 50 to 1,000 times its volume in water. Because it contains a lot of moisture, it is difficult to incinerate and takes more than 500 years to naturally decompose when buried.
Since last year, ice pack reuse has been actively carried out by collecting and cleaning ice packs through 177 collection boxes installed in apartment complexes and administrative welfare centers, in cooperation with organizations such as the Green Leader Council, local self-support centers, and the Ulsan Resource Circulation Business Cooperative in districts and counties.
Of the 129 tons (430,000 units, 0.3 kg per unit) of ice packs collected last year, about 93 tons (310,000 units) were supplied free of charge to 52 locations including traditional markets, fish markets, and restaurants, reducing the economic burden on local merchants while conserving resources.
Ulsan City plans to actively promote the "Ice Pack Circulation Activation Project" this year as well, through inspections of dedicated collection boxes and surveys of demand sites.
A city official stated, "To save resources and protect the environment, it is necessary to refrain from using superabsorbent polymer ice packs, which are difficult to dispose of, and to use eco-friendly ice packs that use water or starch as refrigerants. We ask that ice packs discarded from households be disposed of in dedicated collection boxes."
Ulsan City enacted related ordinances in June 2022 and has been promoting the "Ice Pack Circulation Activation Project" annually.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
