Yangpyeong County Completes “Ri:Wash Yangpyeong Cleaning Center,” Accelerating Its Leap as an “Environmental Capital” Without Single-Use Items

Yangpyeong County Completes 3.283 Billion Won Reusable Container Cleaning Center
Creating Local Jobs and Protecting the Environment at the Same Time

Yangpyeong County in Gyeonggi Province (Governor Jeon Jinseon) announced on February 23 that it successfully held the completion ceremony for the reusable items cleaning facility “Ri:Wash Yangpyeong Cleaning Center” on February 20.

Jeon Jinseon, Yangpyeong County Governor, held the completion ceremony for the reusable item cleaning facility "Re:Wash Yangpyeong Cleaning Center" on the 20th. Photo by Yangpyeong County

About 200 people attended the event on that day, including Jeon Jinseon, Governor of Yangpyeong County; Lee Seunghwan, Commissioner of the Han River Basin Environmental Office; the Head of the Aquatic Ecology Management Division of the Han River Basin Environmental Office; Ji Minhee, Vice Chairperson of the Yangpyeong County Council; heads of institutions and organizations in Yangpyeong County; heads of institutions and organizations in towns and townships; heads of institutions and organizations in Gaegun-myeon; and residents of Hajapo 2-ri Village.

The ceremony began with a pre-event performance by students from the Yangpyeong Youth Culture Center, followed by introductions of distinguished guests, a progress report, the awarding of commendations, congratulatory remarks and speeches, the cutting of colored ribbons, commemorative photos, and a tour and demonstration of the cleaning center. The county expressed its gratitude by presenting commendations to Ham Youngsu, Saemaul leader of Hajapo 2-ri, and Yoon Hyunjeong, head of Hojai Architects, for their contributions to the completion of the Yangpyeong Cleaning Center.

The “Ri:Wash Yangpyeong Cleaning Center” (official name: Yangpyeong Cleaning Center), which carries the meaning of “Yangpyeong that circulates by washing again (RE) and washing (WASH),” began construction in May 2025 and was completed in January this year, with a total project cost of 3,283 million won. Of this, 1,512 million won was funded by the Han River Watershed Management Fund. With a building area of 735.94 square meters (one story above ground), the facility is equipped with three cleaning-line rooms, as well as drying and sterilization rooms, inspection rooms, packaging rooms, and storage rooms, enabling hygienic and systematic cleaning processes. It also includes offices, meeting rooms, and a public relations room.

From March this year, the county will directly handle the cleaning and rental work for reusable containers, which had previously depended on contractors outside the county, thereby expecting to help revitalize the local economy and create jobs. All reusable containers used at local events, festivals, funeral halls, village events, and cafes will be cleaned at the Yangpyeong Cleaning Center, and the project is scheduled to be expanded in the future to cover events in neighboring cities and counties.

Yangpyeong County Governor Jeon Jinseon and other attendees cut the ribbon at the completion ceremony for the reusable items washing facility "Ri:Wash Yangpyeong Secheok Center" on the 20th. Provided by Yangpyeong County

Yangpyeong County Governor Jeon Jinseon said, “The Yangpyeong Cleaning Center will play a major role in helping Yangpyeong County, which aims for a Yangpyeong without single-use items, to leap forward as an ‘environmental capital,’” adding, “Going forward, we will link it with resource-circulation education at the Yangpyeong Resource Circulation Center and the environmental education vessel that is scheduled to operate on the Namhan River, so that it can establish itself as a hub for eco-friendly education.” He went on to emphasize, “We will spare no support and attention so that it can rise as the best reusable container cleaning facility in the country.”