Strategically located in the middle of East Asia, Jeju Island – once a bustling trade hub and now home to nearly 700,000 residents – is now a World Natural Heritage Site that draws over 10 million visitors each year. However, the surge in visitors brings with it a growing waste problem that threatens the island’s pristine environment if not properly managed.
In response, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has pledged to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2035 and become plastic-free by 2040 – making it the first local government in the Republic of Korea to make such a commitment. But can Jeju deliver on its promise, or will this vision fade into rhetoric?
During a recent visit, the ERIA Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris team saw firsthand how Jeju is turning its Zero Plastics vision into action. The outlook is promising, with the island leading the way through initiatives grounded in the 3R principles: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
As the first step, Jeju seeks to reduce the input of plastic waste from the tourism sector, a major contributor to the island’s economy.
Jeju actively supports hotels in obtaining the Green Key certification, a global eco-label for sustainable hospitality. In line with Korea’s revised Resource Recycling Act, effective nationwide since March 2024, hotels on the island have also stopped providing disposable dental and shaving kits.
In the food and beverages sector, Jeju has been operating a deposit-refund scheme for single-use cups since 2022. Under this scheme, consumers are required to pay a deposit of ₩300 (about US$0.20) when purchasing beverages in disposable cups, which will be refunded upon their return.
On Udo – the second-largest island in Jeju Province – twenty-nine cafes have adopted a reusable cup scheme using a deposit-refund system. Customers get drinks in reusable cups and receive deposit back upon return. The cups are then cleaned at the island’s dedicated Multi-use Container Cleaning Centre, ready for the next use.
Following reduction and reuse, Jeju ensures that the island remains plastic-free by implementing a proper waste management system. This process starts with waste segregation into four categories: combustible waste, recyclables, food waste, and non-combustible waste.
Unlike most Korean municipalities, which rely on centralised waste management, Jeju Province operates through localised collection hubs: Clean Houses and Recycling Assistance Centres. Both support waste segregation but function differently. Clean Houses are widely available in neighbourhoods but accept waste only on specific days. Recycling Assistance Centres, though fewer in number, are larger in size and accept all waste types at any time. With nearly 1,700 Clean Houses and over 180 Recycling Assistance Centres, Jeju’s unique setup helps maximise high-value waste recovery.
These collection hubs have created more than 500 jobs as separation disposal assistants, many for senior residents. Moreover, the hub-based waste management system cuts transportation costs by shortening collection routes.
Waste collected from Jeju’s hubs is transported to various facilities based on its type. Recyclables are processed at the Jeju Resource Recovery Centre using AI-based sorting robots, but most are still shipped to the mainland due to limited local recycling capacity. That gap is expected to close by 2028 with the completion of the Jeju Resource Recirculation Cluster, which will recycle transparent PET bottles, batteries from electric vehicles, solar panels, and more.
Food waste goes to the Jeju Food Waste Resource Recovery Facility, which can handle up to 340 tonnes daily, converting it into biogas. This biogas is used to generate electricity valued at ₩5.2 billion annually, equivalent to US$3.7 million. A clean hydrogen production facility is also in the works, set for completion by 2027.
Combustible and non-combustible waste is sent to the Jeju Environmental Resources Recycling Centre. Combustibles are used as fuel for the incineration facility. Over a five-day process, steam from incineration generates up to 19.2 megawatts of electricity. To protect air quality, a five-stage gas treatment system filters out harmful gases like dioxins, ensuring the emissions are clean and safe. Meanwhile, non-combustibles go to a landfill equipped with leachate treatment to prevent chemical and bacterial contamination.
The design of the Recycling Centre draws inspiration from Jeju’s iconic Mount Halla, deliberately avoiding the industrial appearance typical of conventional factories to foster a more positive public perception. But it doesn’t stop there – the Centre also features a sauna, gym, and free health checkups, helping it gain public support and become an integral part of the local community.
These initiatives demonstrate that island communities like Jeju – despite their geographic isolation and limited resources – can take the lead in plastic-free living. By actively embracing the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), Jeju stands as living proof that economic growth and environmental conservation can go hand in hand.
Also read: 3R Conference: Where Research Meets Policy on Plastic Waste and Net Zero Goals
Research Associate
Strategically located in the middle of East Asia, Jeju Island – once a bustling trade hub and now home to nearly 700,000 residents – is now a World Natural Heritage Site that draws over 10 million visitors each year. However, the surge in visitors brings with it a growing waste problem that threatens the island’s pristine environment if not properly managed.
In response, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has pledged to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2035 and become plastic-free by 2040 – making it the first local government in the Republic of Korea to make such a commitment. But can Jeju deliver on its promise, or will this vision fade into rhetoric?
During a recent visit, the ERIA Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris team saw firsthand how Jeju is turning its Zero Plastics vision into action. The outlook is promising, with the island leading the way through initiatives grounded in the 3R principles: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
As the first step, Jeju seeks to reduce the input of plastic waste from the tourism sector, a major contributor to the island’s economy.
Jeju actively supports hotels in obtaining the Green Key certification, a global eco-label for sustainable hospitality. In line with Korea’s revised Resource Recycling Act, effective nationwide since March 2024, hotels on the island have also stopped providing disposable dental and shaving kits.
In the food and beverages sector, Jeju has been operating a deposit-refund scheme for single-use cups since 2022. Under this scheme, consumers are required to pay a deposit of ₩300 (about US$0.20) when purchasing beverages in disposable cups, which will be refunded upon their return.
On Udo – the second-largest island in Jeju Province – twenty-nine cafes have adopted a reusable cup scheme using a deposit-refund system. Customers get drinks in reusable cups and receive deposit back upon return. The cups are then cleaned at the island’s dedicated Multi-use Container Cleaning Centre, ready for the next use.
Following reduction and reuse, Jeju ensures that the island remains plastic-free by implementing a proper waste management system. This process starts with waste segregation into four categories: combustible waste, recyclables, food waste, and non-combustible waste.
Unlike most Korean municipalities, which rely on centralised waste management, Jeju Province operates through localised collection hubs: Clean Houses and Recycling Assistance Centres. Both support waste segregation but function differently. Clean Houses are widely available in neighbourhoods but accept waste only on specific days. Recycling Assistance Centres, though fewer in number, are larger in size and accept all waste types at any time. With nearly 1,700 Clean Houses and over 180 Recycling Assistance Centres, Jeju’s unique setup helps maximise high-value waste recovery.
These collection hubs have created more than 500 jobs as separation disposal assistants, many for senior residents. Moreover, the hub-based waste management system cuts transportation costs by shortening collection routes.
Waste collected from Jeju’s hubs is transported to various facilities based on its type. Recyclables are processed at the Jeju Resource Recovery Centre using AI-based sorting robots, but most are still shipped to the mainland due to limited local recycling capacity. That gap is expected to close by 2028 with the completion of the Jeju Resource Recirculation Cluster, which will recycle transparent PET bottles, batteries from electric vehicles, solar panels, and more.
Food waste goes to the Jeju Food Waste Resource Recovery Facility, which can handle up to 340 tonnes daily, converting it into biogas. This biogas is used to generate electricity valued at ₩5.2 billion annually, equivalent to US$3.7 million. A clean hydrogen production facility is also in the works, set for completion by 2027.
Combustible and non-combustible waste is sent to the Jeju Environmental Resources Recycling Centre. Combustibles are used as fuel for the incineration facility. Over a five-day process, steam from incineration generates up to 19.2 megawatts of electricity. To protect air quality, a five-stage gas treatment system filters out harmful gases like dioxins, ensuring the emissions are clean and safe. Meanwhile, non-combustibles go to a landfill equipped with leachate treatment to prevent chemical and bacterial contamination.
The design of the Recycling Centre draws inspiration from Jeju’s iconic Mount Halla, deliberately avoiding the industrial appearance typical of conventional factories to foster a more positive public perception. But it doesn’t stop there – the Centre also features a sauna, gym, and free health checkups, helping it gain public support and become an integral part of the local community.
These initiatives demonstrate that island communities like Jeju – despite their geographic isolation and limited resources – can take the lead in plastic-free living. By actively embracing the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), Jeju stands as living proof that economic growth and environmental conservation can go hand in hand.
Also read: 3R Conference: Where Research Meets Policy on Plastic Waste and Net Zero Goals
Research Associate
