[Consumerwide_ HueSoung, Jun Reporter / Yohan, Bok Reporter] Meejee Lee, an employee (female, in her 40s) washes her disposable cup of Americano, which she's bought on her way to work, before she throws it away. And, she chooses a transparent PET bottle when she buys drinks. This is her value-consumption.
Every morning, Ms. Mijin.L enjoys a cup of Americano on her way to work. When she purchases them, she orders disposable cups because she lacks the time. Yet, she washes them off in the office pantry before throwing them away for environmental protection.
She said, “I order Americano in a disposable cup instead of a tumbler because I am running out of time. But, I make sure to throw them away after washing. As far as I know, paper cups containing Americano do not leave any residue when they are rinsed with water."
"If you don't rinse them before disposal, it can be gluey or become a main cause of mold. I heard that workers who sort recyclable resources at the recycling facility are having a hard time because of bad smells and mold. Nevertheless, if people rinse those containers or cups before they waste, there is more possibility to recycle. For this reason, rinsing cups is my value-consumption for me, others, and the environment."
Meejee Lee added that she chooses a transparent-PET-bottle for drinks. She said, "When I purchase drinks at the supermarket or convenience store, I choose a transparent PET bottle. In particular, I prefer products without a label. Products with labels on them. I try to find one that is easy to separate from bottles. Clean, transparent PET bottles can be recycled to resources with high quality. Once they get to the recycling facility, they gain new life.
Before wasting the PET bottles, we need to remove the labels and wash them clean. Without washing them, bottles are wasted without being recycled because they are way too polluted to be recycled. When I simply wash them, the rate of incineration decreases. Hence, I perceive that rinsing the bottles contributes to preserving the environment."
