P&A Corporation President Doyi Kim
P&A Corporation, the company that runs Pacific Eco Laundry, Winners Hardware, CK Smoke House and other businesses on Saipan, will launch a plastic bottle recycling project.
In an interview over the weekend, P&A Corporation President Doyi Kim said for the start-up, they will set up a plastic collection facility in Lower Base. In six months, Kim said, “we will determine the volume of the collected plastics, off-island shipping, and the overall recycling operations strategies and procedures.”
Their main goal is environmental protection, Kim said.
She believes that recycling used plastic bottles will reduce the amount of the non-biodegradable wastes that end up at Marpi landfill. She said some of the garbage ends up on the beaches and endangers aquatic species.
“Unlike other materials, plastics are non-biodegradable. They take up to 1,000 years to break down, so when plastic is discarded, it builds up in the environment until it reaches a crisis point. This pollution chokes marine wildlife, damages soil and poisons groundwater, and can cause serious health impacts. Our project will help alleviate the burden on the disposal methods and reduce the environmental impact associated with plastic waste,” Kim said.
Plastic recycling, she added, encourages community involvement in environmental stewardship. “We believe that this project will also promote a sense of responsibility and cooperation in managing waste,” she said.
Economic goal
Kim said the plastic recycling project was conceptualized during a casual gathering with some of their Korean colleagues. She said the conversation steered to what has been happening to the CNMI economy, the impending closure of Hyatt and the lack of tourists, all of which have a domino effect on other businesses on island.
“The closure of hotels will impact dry cleaning and laundromat businesses,” Kim noted.
She said Pacific Eco Laundry Inc. in San Antonio operates a commercial dry-cleaning business and 24-hour laundromats.
The detergents and dry-cleaning agents they use are imported from South Korea so the company has accumulated a lot of plastic bottles over the years.
She said they also noticed that their laundromats produce a high volume of plastic containers for detergents, fabric softener, bleach, beverages and other materials. These can be recycled, she added.
Kim said plastic recycling has been in existence since the 1970’s in South Korea and other countries. South Korea aims to reduce plastic waste by 50% and recycle 70% of them by 2030, she added.
“Instead of discarding our plastic containers, we are planning to collect and export them to Korea for recycling,” Kim said.
She noted that Saipan has two recycling facilities that deal with scrap metals and aluminum, but there is no similar facility for plastic bottles and containers.
“We plan to pioneer the plastic recycling project here in Saipan and support the CNMI government in protecting the island’s environment,” Kim said.
Collaboration
Kim said P&A Corporation will collaborate with different local agencies, private businesses, community groups and residents. She said they will make a public announcement once the plastic collection procedures and compensation are in place.
She would like to emphasize that “we will only collect and accept ‘clean’ plastics. Meaning, the plastics must be free of grease, grime or any kind of residue. Posters and signs indicating acceptable recyclable plastics will be posted at our facility.”
Kim said P&A Corporation’s long-term mission is to be a productive and contributing member of the Saipan community.
“We have participated and sponsored community projects such as the Saipan Mayor’s Office beautification projects, the San Antonio basketball court renovation, the post-typhoon Yutu cleanup, Marpi Peace Memorial Park maintenance, and we also support various other community events,” she said.
P&A Corporation’s plastic recycling project, she added, “will offer numerous benefits to both the environment and the community such as reduction of waste, community involvement, protection of wildlife while generating revenue.”
Kim said she is hoping that the CNMI government will support the project.
“Government support can be in the form of incentivizing and facilitating recycling efforts through grants and funding, tax incentives, or regulation that supports and promotes recycling. Any kind of support and assistance from our local government and the community will be a welcome encouragement for this project’s success,” Kim said.
