Clear PET Bottles Must Be Thrown Away Separately...Separate Collection System for Clear PET Bottles Implemented on 25th in Apartment Complexes

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] With the 'separate collection system for clear PET bottles' being implemented nationwide for apartment complexes from the 25th, Gyeonggi Province urged active participation by residents.

In accordance with the Ministry of Environment's revised 'Guidelines on Separate Collection of Recyclable Resources,' the separate collection system for clear PET bottles will be phased in starting from December 25 this year for apartment complexes (apartments with 300 or more households or 150 or more households with elevators installed, etc.), and from December 25 next year for multi-unit residential buildings and single-family houses after a one-year grace period.

Row houses and villas will implement the system from December 25 next year, but can participate from this year if they voluntarily wish to separately collect clear PET bottles.

Until now, clear PET bottles, though recyclable high-value regenerated raw materials, have often been discarded when mixed with colored plastic waste.

Through this guideline revision, the province expects to secure up to 100,000 tons annually of high-quality recycled materials and reduce waste output.

Accordingly, apartment complex management offices must prepare separate dedicated clear PET bottle collection bins distinct from existing plastic waste bins.

The separately collected clear PET bottles undergo selection and regenerated material processing by recycling companies, then are made into yarn for functional clothing and bags, or are reproduced as recycled containers.

The province plans to actively promote the new system through various methods including G-Bus and apartment complex elevator media boards and notice boards to ensure the system can be stably established and practiced.

Additionally, the province plans to collaborate with cities and counties to regularly inspect the installation of separate bins in apartment complexes and collection status, and support stable processing of clear PET bottles by connecting apartment complexes with recycling companies.

Eom Jin-seop, Director of the Environmental Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, said, "We will efficiently manage household waste that is increasing after COVID-19 so that Gyeonggi Province can lead in creating a resource circulation society," and requested, "We ask for residents' keen interest and participation in properly separating recyclables including clear PET bottles."