EFFORTS TO REUSE DISCARDED BANNERS

[Anchor Lead]

Local governments are having a hard time removing and discarding illegally installed banners. Volunteers nationwide are helping turn discarded banners into sacks or other more useful items.

[Pkg]

Residents of this village plow soil to prepare it for planting flowers. They each wear colorful arm sleeves with diverse patterns and lettering. The arm sleeves were made from discarded banners. They are resistant to stains and comfortable to wear.

[Soundbite] Shin Dong-dan(Farmer) : "They're very comfortable. They don't stick to the arms and are good at preventing soil from getting in."

This apartment complex located nearby uses sacks made from discarded banners instead of plastic bags to collect waste for recycling. The idea to upcycle illegally installed banners, which are being put up en masse as advertisements in newly developed areas, came from local administrative organizations and residents.

[Soundbite] Kim Jong-kil(Chief of Seongyeon-myeon, Seosan) : "This nylon fabric is very sturdy. We are happy to be able to produce things using this material."

Up until recently, banners were classified as industrial waste, and the only way to get rid of them was incineration. But nowadays, thanks to volunteers, more than a hundred banners are upcycled into useful items every week. Recently, they are receiving many orders for various farming items and daily necessities like covers, floor mats and aprons.

[Soundbite] Park Ki-soon(Head of sewing volunteer group) : "We receive many orders. People call us to place orders by phone after hearing about us. They ask us to make things for them using banners."

Once the local elections are over next month, a large amount of discarded banners is expected to pour in for upcycling, a groundbreaking way to prevent environmental pollution and recycle resources.