Goyang City to Expand Resource Recycling Activation Project in 2026

Expansion of Resource Circulation Shops and Unmanned Collection Machines
Strengthening Citizen Participation-Based Reward Programs

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan) announced on January 9 that it will expand its Resource Recycling Activation Project in 2026 to reduce household waste and promote recycling.

Goyang City to Expand Resource Recycling Activation Project in 2026. Provided by Goyang Special City

The city plans to strengthen its citizen participation-based recycling reward system to encourage more active and effective participation in waste separation and recycling.

Goyang has already operated resource circulation shops and unmanned recycling collection machines, confirming improvements in the quality of recyclables and increased citizen engagement. Accordingly, this year, the city will further expand related facilities and systems to establish a culture of resource circulation.

First, the "Resource Circulation Shop" is a program where citizens bring in recyclables that have been properly sorted and cleaned. The items are weighed by category, and participants are rewarded with either cash or points.

The city currently operates 15 resource circulation shops and plans to increase this number to 20 by 2026 to improve accessibility. In addition, the operating system will be linked with senior employment programs, aiming to both promote resource recycling and create social jobs.

The number of "unmanned recycling collection machines," which collect transparent PET bottles and cans, will also be increased. These machines use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automatically detect and remove contaminants, and reward users with points based on the amount of properly deposited recyclables. Last year, 11 such machines were in operation; this year, 7 more will be installed, bringing the total to 18.

Meanwhile, last year, approximately 20,000 citizens participated in resource recycling through the resource circulation shops and unmanned collection machines, resulting in the collection of 59 tons of high-quality recyclables.

A Goyang Special City official stated, "If thrown away, it becomes waste, but if collected, it becomes a valuable resource. We will continue to expand citizen-focused recycling policies that people can truly experience, in order to build a sustainable resource-circulating city."