Banners showing political parties’ candidates running in the April 15 general elections in Seoul’s Eunpyeong B constituency are hung on April 2, 2020, the first day of official campaigning. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 10 (Korea Bizwire) — After the parliamentary elections on April 15, election promotional banners that will be discarded will be recycled into shopping bags and garbage bags.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Environment had distributed guidelines containing such information to local governments across the country to push for recycling measures.
The guidelines included ways for each local government to collect and recycle banners removed by political parties and candidates after election day.
Each local government will send banners to the Ministry of Environment’s Resource Recovery Center to produce recycled textiles.
Afterwards, the government will come up with recycling measures that suit the conditions, such as providing the fabric to local recycling companies or social enterprises free of charge.
Synthetic fiber banners made of polyester, cotton, and other materials can be recycled into shopping baskets and burlap bags for garbage collection.
Upcycling companies and social enterprises manufacture wallets and key chains from the fabric.
Authorities will share the list of upcycling companies and social enterprises across the country with local governments and actively seek out initiatives that might make use of the recycled textiles.
The Ministry of Environment also plans to have local governments develop products that utilize waste materials to suit the conditions.
The guidelines also require local authorities to promote how to separate and dispose of paper printed materials among residents.
Booklet-type press releases should be separated and disposed of with paper recyclables, and paper that does not tear and has coated vinyl should be thrown into standard plastic garbage bags.
Meanwhile, labels containing the address, name, and other personal information should be removed from the postal envelopes and then disposed of separately to recycle.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
