Gyeryong City Household Resource Recovery Center Achieves 87% Sorting Rate, Highest in Nation... Generates 150 Million Won Annual Revenue

A Key Facility Driving the Carbon-Neutral Circular Economy...
Mayor Lee Eungwoo: "Working Toward a Sustainable City"

Recyclable sorting work scene / Provided by Gyeryong City Hall

The Household Resource Recovery Center, established by Gyeryong City in South Chungcheong Province to achieve carbon neutrality and a circular resource economy, is delivering tangible results and attracting nationwide attention.

According to the city on July 17, this center was completed on March 15, 2024, in Ipam-ri, Duma-myeon. It is a single-story facility with a total area of 1,513 square meters, built with a total project cost of 8.9 billion won (2.1 billion won from the national government, 500 million won from the provincial government, and 6.3 billion won from the city budget).

The center stably processes 1,456 tons of recyclable waste annually and is equipped with a state-of-the-art optical automatic sorting machine capable of handling 10 tons per day, alongside a manual sorting system. This enables efficient reclassification and resource recovery.

In particular, through advanced sorting processes for each material type?such as paper, cans, bottles, vinyl, and plastics?the center achieved a sorting rate of 87% as of last year. This far exceeds the national average sorting rate for recycling centers, which ranges from 60% to 70%.

This high-efficiency sorting has also translated into economic gains. In 2024, the center sold 606 tons out of 698 tons of recyclables, generating approximately 147 million won in non-tax revenue.

The operation of the center goes beyond simple profit, also reducing waste treatment costs by decreasing the amount of waste incinerated or landfilled.

This has led to positive outcomes, simultaneously improving the local environment and saving the municipal budget.

Mayor Lee Eungwoo stated, "The Household Resource Recovery Center is a key facility that has dramatically improved Gyeryong City's resource circulation efficiency," adding, "We will continue to work with citizens to realize a sustainable city."

Meanwhile, the Gyeryong City Household Resource Recovery Center is establishing itself as an exemplary case of carbon neutrality by achieving both environmental protection and economic efficiency.