[Consumerwide - Jinil Kang Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter]  Plastic waste we have dumped carelessly flows into the sea, and in turn, it threatens our health. The ocean pollution of microplastics is passed on to sea life and humans who consume the sea life. In other words, we are eating the plastic waste we have thrown away.

The microplastic pollution along the coastline of Korea was severe. According to "Current status of microplastic pollution in 15 sectors of Korean coastal areas, including Busan and Incheon coasts between 2020 and 2022," announced by Dr. Im Donghoon during the international microplastic symposium at Gangreung on the 2nd of November, an average of 1.82 units of over 20㎛/ℓ size microplastic were discovered on the surface of Korean coastal areas.

In response to this, businesses began activities to protect our seas through beach combing campaigns and beach care projects. Beach combing means the activity of cleaning the beach by collecting trash, as if you comb it. The adopt-a-beach project is whether a business or a group of people are designated for each beach and take responsibility for caring for them. The "Adopt-a-Beach" project is facilitated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. This programme aims to reduce ocean trash.

BBQ has designated Yongyu Beach, located at Junggu Incheon, in May 2023 to take care of for the next two years until 2025. This project aims to pass on a clean beach to the coming generation by reducing ocean trash while awakening to environmental issues. BBQ has completed their beach combing activity this year, having the third on November 10th at Yongyu Beach.

A total of 300kg of ocean trash was collected, which included household waste, industrial waste, and fish waste. The accumulated trash collected by BBQ at Yongyu Beach counts 1.7 tonnes this ar. BBQ plans to continue their activities to make the sea clean next year beyond cleaning activities, which might involve adopting beach project promotion and campaigns for ocean environmental protection recognition.

Jinair hosted an environment cleaning activity at Jeju Chaguido in connection with the Ocean Police Office and the Catholic Children and Teens Fund on November 7th. Chaguido, which is located 2 km from Gosanri Hangyeongmyeon Jejusi, has been legislated as the 422nd natural monument. Earlier, Jinair adopted Ungal Beach and Black Sand Beach located in Hangyeongmyeon Jejusi in November 2022 and maintained the beach clean. During the "2nd Adopt a Beach Gathering" in September, this programme was awarded under the theme of "Genuinely Clean Beach Along with Teens."

Asiana Airlines began beach cleaning activity at Yongyu Beach in Yeongjongdo Incheon on October 18th. On the day, 20 staff members of Asiana Airlines collected and recycled ocean trash. Earlier, Asiana Airlines adopted Yongyu Beach Incheon in September. Asiana Airlines is continuing their cleaning activities at Yongyu Beach until September 2025 on a regular basis, which involves three times a year of activity.

Innisfree has initiated a beach combing project at Jeju Hamduk Beach after Yangyang Beach clean activities in August. For the Hamduk activity, 30 ordinary participants and 10 event staff participated in the Save Jeju Bada reservation. The entire trash collection counted approximately 602.6kg on that day. Innisfree plans to continue their ocean environment protection activities.

Baemin and Lush had facilitated beach cleaning volunteer work through a beach combing campaign on Yeongjong Island in September. 27 Uahan Brothers staff, 28 Rush staff, Badanetwork (an ocean protection group), and Celebrity Ocean Cleaning Volunteer Organisation—a total of 62 people participated in the project. They collected 173kg of ocean trash by trash picking activities near Incheon Yeongjongdo South Embankment during 3 hours. Besides, Lush has been continuing a plogging campaign called "Plasticjugging," which is an environmental protection activity, at beaches in Korea since 2019.

SGC Solution has adopted Wonsando Swimming Beach Chungnam Boryeong, which is known for its ecological value and high capacity for carbon absorption, in October 2022. This year, they have collected harmful waste, including plastic waste and vinyl, and various trash at the beach.

The Busan exhibition convention centre "Bexco" had ocean environment protection activity in the Busan Gijanggun Orangdae area in October. Bexco has adopted the Orangdae area this May.

20 staff members of Lotte Homeshopping have facilitated beach cleaning at Incheon Wangsan Swimming Beach in September and Incheon Hanaghe Swimming Beach in May. Total ocean trash collected from Wangsan Swimming Beach, which is approximately 1.5km long, during 2 hours counts 448kg. Lotte Homeshopping plans to facilitate various environmental activities in which staff can participate, including three times of beach cleaning under a beach programme.

KT Skylife hosted a beach combing campaign at the Incheon Bridge Memorial Hall in September and November 2022. 30 people, including Skylife staff and KT Group Hope Sharing Fund staff, participated in the programme.

LG H&H hosted a beach combing campaign along with 103 Global Eco Leader YOUTH (young adult climate environment activists) at Mangsang Beach, Donghaesi Gangwondo, in July. The same event was held last year. In two hours, they collected 59 bags of trash (30-litre big plastic bags), which included cigarette butts, plastic waste, vinyl, and fire crackers from the beach.

An associated person from LG H&H said, "Efforts to maintain ecological balance while protecting the environment for life are one of the major responsibilities of a business for future generations. We will continue our activity of protecting and maintaining the Korean ocean ecological system."