Korea Railroad Corp., or Korail, said it has installed 30 upcycled benches made from recycled waste plastic in the second-floor waiting area of Yongsan Station ahead of Resource Circulation Day on the 6th.
The installation is the first result of an upcycling bench project agreement Korail signed in June with E-Mart and TerraCycle, the state railway operator said on the 4th. Upcycling refers to turning discarded goods or waste into new products of higher value, going beyond simple recycling.
Waste plastic collected at E-Mart stores nationwide through a resource circulation campaign called "Bring Plastic, Protect Our Seas" was reprocessed into benches by TerraCycle, and Korail turned them into a rest area for Yongsan Station users.
The benches at Yongsan Station are 1.8 meters long with three seats each, giving a total capacity of 90 people. Discarded plastic has been given new value and reborn as a resting spot open to anyone.
Some benches carry courtesy stickers designating them for older adults, pregnant women, people with disabilities and others with reduced mobility.
Korail plans to install additional upcycled benches at major stations near the coast and to continue resource circulation efforts, including participation in the "Bring Plastic, Protect Our Seas" campaign.
"Through upcycled benches made from waste plastic, we have been able to add meaning to resource circulation while improving customer convenience," said Park Yong-jung, head of Korail's carbon neutrality promotion group. "We will continue to find and expand eco-friendly activities that the public can feel."
