"Use and return it to the café"... 7,751 reusable cups circulated by Korea University (KU) students

[Financial News] It has been revealed that a reusable cup circulation system created by Korea University (KU) students to reduce disposable cups discarded at on-campus cafés collected 7,751 cups over the past year. The system works by having students receive a reusable cup at a café, use it, and then return it to a campus return bin; a specialized company then collects and cleans the cups before supplying them back to the cafés. Its distinguishing feature is the creation of a circular structure involving the university, cafés, and cleaning companies, rather than relying solely on individuals refraining from using disposable items.
According to Korea University (KU) on the 15th, the student team 'Refill Road' has collected a total of 7,751 cups by operating a reusable cup circulation system on campus since last September. For this achievement, Refill Road received the Grand Prize at the fourth Korea University (KU) Changemakers Forum held on the 10th.
The operation is simple. Students order beverages in reusable cups at partner cafés, such as Café Blueport, and place the used cups in on-campus return bins. EatGrit collects the cups, sterilizes and washes them at high temperatures in specialized facilities, and then supplies them back to the cafés. Korea University (KU)'s Center for Sustainability supports the administration and logistics, ensuring that neither students nor the cafés bear any additional costs.
The greenhouse gas reduction achieved through the 7,751 cups collected by Refill Road was estimated at approximately 255.8 kg (CO2-eq). Korea University (KU) explained that, when converted based on the Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco)'s power emission factor, this is similar to the electricity emissions generated by fully charging a smartphone about 31,900 times.
Refill Road, composed of students from six majors, including the Department of Environmental Ecology Engineering and the Department of Business Administration, introduced data management methods into its operations. Using AI and spreadsheet-based dashboards, the team managed the system by monitoring operational data, such as the number of cups collected, in real time.
The judging panel evaluated that "the students' ideas had been established as sustainable business models that operate stably in real-life spaces."
At this forum, eight student teams, including Refill Road, presented case studies on resource circulation and solving social problems. 'Cheonbangjichaek' and Aquanomy, which produced bags from discarded fishing nets, received Excellence Awards. 'SocioMaps,' which mapped pedestrian restrictions in Seongbuk District, and 'Me Before You,' which created financial education materials for young adults preparing for independence, received Encouragement Awards.
Korea University (KU) President Kim Dong-one said, "Students who have sought out and solved social problems based on classroom knowledge are not just talking; they are actually doing work that impacts society."


[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter