Emart and Customers Turn Collected Waste Plastic into Benches at Yongsan Station

[Financial News] To mark Resource Circulation Day, Emart turned waste plastic separated and collected by customers at its stores into upcycled benches and installed them at Yongsan Station. The project aims to promote the value of resource circulation by connecting customers' everyday waste-sorting efforts to public amenities. Emart also plans to expand the range of materials used to include low-quality waste plastic that is difficult to recycle, further strengthening customer-participation resource-circulation activities.■ Upcycled benches installed at Yongsan StationAccording to industry sources on the 23rd, Emart recently completed the installation of 30 upcycled benches in the second-floor waiting hall of KTX Yongsan Station through the Upcycling Bench Project, which it pursued jointly with KORAIL and TerraCycle Korea.
The project is the first outcome of an MOU for the Upcycling Bench Project signed by Emart, KORAIL, and TerraCycle Korea in April. Waste plastic separated and collected by customers at Emart stores through Gapeuljiu, Emart's flagship resource-circulation campaign, was collected, recycled, and made into benches before being installed as public amenities at Yongsan Station.
Approximately 1.3 tons of plastic feedstock made from used toothbrushes, shampoo containers, and other items composed of multiple materials were used to produce the 30 benches. Waste plastic that previously had limited value because it was difficult to recycle into high-quality materials was given a new life as upcycled benches instead of being incinerated or landfilled after use.
The waste plastic that customers deposited in Gapeuljiu collection bins at Emart stores underwent professional collection and recycling processes before being made into benches. The completed benches were installed at KTX Yongsan Station, which is used by tens of thousands of people each day, and will serve as a resting space for citizens and railway passengers.
Emart explained that the project is particularly meaningful because waste plastic separated and collected directly by customers was transformed into public amenities and returned to citizens. Rather than simply collecting and recycling waste, the project established a resource-circulation system in which customers' everyday eco-friendly practices lead to new products that are then returned to the local community.
In particular, Emart expects the project to help share the value of resource circulation with more citizens by showing how materials discarded by customers can find new uses and be returned to society.■ Expanding customer-participation resource circulation through GapeuljiuEmart is continuing to expand customer-participation resource-circulation activities through Gapeuljiu, including coastal cleanups nationwide and waste-plastic recycling. Waste plastic deposited by customers in Gapeuljiu collection bins at Emart stores is recycled or upcycled into a range of eco-friendly products, including benches, litter-picking tongs, and reusable shopping bags.
Starting this year, Emart plans to expand the range of materials used beyond plastics with high recycling value to include low-quality waste plastic that was previously difficult to recycle. The company plans to strengthen customer-participation resource-circulation activities by increasing the value derived from waste plastic and producing various upcycled products that can be returned to local communities.
Lee Chang-Yeol, an ESG executive at Emart, said, "It is even more meaningful that the resource-circulation efforts practiced by customers through the Gapeuljiu campaign have been transformed into upcycled benches at KTX Yongsan Station, which is used by many citizens." He added, "We will continue to expand environmental value throughout society through various resource-circulation activities created together with our customers and take the lead in putting ESG management into practice."

[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter