‘재활용’보다 ‘새활용’…쓰레기도 문화가 된다
We’ve all heard of recycling and most of us have things we could throw away but reuse instead.
But a new one to many might be “upcycling” — when simple waste items are reborn as something completely new.
The city of Seoul has opened an upcycling plaza to help familiarize the public with the concept.
Lee Jeong-yeon has the story.
Korea’s largest-scale upcycling plaza opened its doors to the public on Tuesday.
Here, bicycle parts are transformed into ornate lamps,… plastic bottles become toy blocks for kids,… and thrown-away pieces of wood are reborn as candle-holders.
(stand-up)
“Upcycling,” is a combination of “upgrade” and “recycling.” In practice, it involves converting waste materials and throwaway items like these into new products that are more useful and practical.”
Aiming to boost the green industries, the Seoul Upcycling Center consists of workspaces for upcycling start-ups and artists.
But it’s not just a platform for selling finished products. It’s also a place for many upcycling-focused companies to store and distribute raw materials for upcycling. Some items are also shipped off to developing countries for reuse, or sold to factories that manufacture new clothing.
(Korean)
We hope that ultimately it will go beyond producing upcycling products,… and become an education center where people can learn about upcycling and ways to incorporate it into their daily lifestyles.
Following just behind Germany, Korea has the second highest rate of recycling in the OECD — a huge leap forward given waste management was a major problem for Korea only 20 years ago.
(English)
“I like upcycling because it’s a practical thing, it’s a material-based thing. It is something we can all relate to, something we can all engage with. I thought coming here to support this venture, this initiative was very important, also because I think we can be inspired by that in Denmark.”
Upcycling helps reduce energy use, air and water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions that occur when creating new items,… which is one of the reasons why Korea is looking toward this new trend. Starting with the establishment of this upcycling center, Korea aims to go beyond “recycling” waste, taking a step further to become a leading “upcycling” nation.
Lee Jeong-yeon, Arirang News
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