Coupang expands e-waste recycling ... builds resource-circulation system

[Financial News] Coupang will establish a system to collect and recycle electrical and electronic products that have reached the end of their useful life at its business sites, including logistics centers. The company plans to recover recyclable materials from discarded electronics and encourage employees to sort their waste for recycling.
According to industry sources on the 11th, Coupang signed an “E-WASTE ZERO Circular Economy Practice Agreement” the previous day at its Rocket Research Institute in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, with Resource Circulation Social Solidarity and E-Circular Governance. Coupang’s logistics affiliates, Coupang Logistics Services (CLS) and Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), also joined the agreement.
Under the agreement, Coupang will separately collect and recycle electrical and electronic products at its logistics sites and elsewhere if they have become obsolete or can no longer be used because of a malfunction. E-Circular Governance will sort the collected products by material, such as metals and nonmetals, before they undergo recycling. The company will also run a campaign to explain how to properly dispose of discarded electronics, encouraging employees to take part in resource-circulation activities in their daily lives.
The environmental benefits of the recycling process will also be quantified. Coupang plans to calculate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced through e-waste recycling and the amount of circular resources recovered and produced, and to obtain certificates verifying greenhouse gas reductions and the production of circular resources based on those figures. Funds raised through related activities will be donated to designated recipients in the names of the participating companies.
The organizations involved in the agreement will divide responsibilities and support the entire process, from collecting discarded electronics to recycling them. E-Circular Governance will handle collection and environmentally friendly recycling, while Resource Circulation Social Solidarity will help ensure the system operates smoothly.
Hong Yong-joon, CEO of Coupang Logistics Services, said, “This agreement is a meaningful step toward building a sustainable ecosystem for the circular use of resources.” He added, “Going forward, Coupang and its partner organizations will continue to join forces to encourage employees to adopt eco-friendly practices in their daily lives, and we will work harder on sincere ESG initiatives that fulfill our social responsibilities.”

[email protected] Jang Yu-ha Reporter