Hyundai Steel runs coffee waste upcycling campaign

Hyundai Steel is running an upcycling campaign to find new uses for discarded coffee grounds as part of its social contribution project, the company said Monday.

From May 17 to June 16, the steelmaker is putting up advertisements showing eco-friendly products made from coffee waste inside subway stations and on city buses operating in Incheon, the company said.

The campaign is designed to promote the idea of upcycling coffee waste. People who take selfies with the advertisements and post them on social media can receive eco-friendly gifts made from coffee waste, the company explained.

Hyundai Steel initiated the Coffee Waste Resource Recovery Project jointly with the Korea Productivity Center and the Korea Green Foundation in 2018.

In March, the steelmaker inked a memorandum of understanding with the city of Incheon and its five autonomous districts for the third consecutive year.

According to the company, about 150,000 tons of discarded coffee grounds are either buried or incinerated in South Korea annually.

As part of its social contribution activity, the steelmaker said it sought to upcycle the waste and the work has also created jobs in the region.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)