The amount of waste generated at seven major beaches in the Gyeongpo area dropped by 17.6% compared to the same period last year. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
GANGNEUNG, Aug. 27 (Korea Bizwire) – In an unexpected turn of events, the popular beach destinations in Gangneung, a coastal city in South Korea’s Gangwon Province, have witnessed a significant decrease in waste despite a surge in visitors during the peak summer season.
According to data released by the city on August 26, the amount of waste generated at seven major beaches in the Gyeongpo area dropped by 17.6% compared to the same period last year.
This reduction occurred even as the number of beachgoers increased by 29.2%, from 1.97 million last year to 2.54 million this season.
The beach season, which ran from June 29 to August 18, saw a total of 361 tons of waste generated across the seven beaches.
This averages to about 7 tons per day, a notable decrease from last year’s daily average of 8.6 tons, totaling 438 tons for the season.
“The heatwave led to fewer people consuming food and alcohol on the beaches at night.” (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The reduction is even more striking when compared to 2022, showing a 37.9% decrease from that year’s 581 tons, despite this year’s beach season being six days longer.
Breaking down the waste categories, recyclable waste saw a more substantial reduction of 32% compared to a 10% decrease in general waste.
In total, 242 tons of general waste and 119 tons of recyclable waste were collected during the season.
City officials attribute this positive trend to several factors, including a decrease in late-night eating on the beaches due to extreme heat.
The city experienced 25 days with nighttime temperatures over 25 degrees Celsius during the beach season, which likely discouraged evening beach activities involving food and drink.
“The heatwave led to fewer people consuming food and alcohol on the beaches at night,” a Gangneung city official explained.
“Additionally, more visitors seemed to be taking their trash with them when leaving.”
The city’s prompt response to waste accumulation also played a crucial role.
During peak times, when beaches were at risk of being covered in litter by early morning, the deployment of beach cleaners helped maintain the cleanliness of the shoreline.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
