Refill Stations

How many bottles are thrown away after using shampoo, detergent, and cosmetics? Recently, a refill station has emerged to solve this problem. At the refill station, individuals can take as much body wash and soap as they want if they bring their own container. If you forget to bring a container, here is also a special refill station where you can put the shampoo in a container made from recycled coconut shells. There are these eco-friendly refill stations in Jeonju as well. Here ‘mikrokosmos’ they are actively reducing use of plastic by allowing people to buy detergent and baking soda in the bottle as they want. Then, where does the discarded plastic waste used at the refill station go? Don't worry. The plastic mill can handle it.

Plastic Mill
Plastics from refill station go through a long recycling process. Plastic is crushed, remade, and finally upcycled into a new product. Plastic mills are used to dispose of plastic material that is too small to recycle. In other words, plastic mills use small plastics as a raw material for new products. There is a way to help the plastic mill program from home. We can send plastic waste to the plastic mill once every two months if we join the ‘Chamsae Club.’ Members can even receive an upcycled product made from the plastics they sent in.

Lush’s Black Pot

Lush has been encouraging recycling with their black pots since 2013. Black pot, made of polypropylene, is the name for their product containers. The way to join this campaign is easy. Simply return five clean, used Lush black pots to the shops, and they will give a fresh face mask in return for free. You do not need to remove the labels. Transparent white pots, which mostly contain shower jellies and funs, are accepted too.

One of JBNU Globe reporter who tried the campaign said, “Imagining vegan products in 100% recycled plastic bottles, pots, and lids made me feel eco-friendly!” She felt using the whole full-sized black pot was not a challenge for her since she was curious about every product. However, since she completely fell into what Lush has been doing and making, she wanted to try their shampoos and toners, too. The fact that non-black pots or sample size black pots are not accepted in the recycling system made her reconsider buying them.

2021 Starbucks ‘e-frequency’ with Environmental Protection Message

JBNU Globe reporter used one of these environmental products planners ‘Note Keeper (Armani).’ This planner is a collaboration between Armani Exchange and Starbucks.
The cover of planner is made from the excess fabric scraps from Armani Exchange. “Using the planner is rewarding, I feel like I am participating in a small way to the environmental protection project” said one reporter. “I feel like I am participating, in a small way, to the environmental protection project. Another type of planner which is called the ‘White Standing Scheduler,’ is made from recycled plastic. Foldable cross bags, made through a collaboration between Starbucks and Rawrow, also work to spread a message advocating for sustainability.

By Ku Halin, So Woobin, Shin Soul Reporters