By Kim Se-jeong
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) said Sunday it will work with hotels to collect recyclable toiletries and electric appliances and distribute them to low-income residents.
It said it is discussing the project with 18 five-star hotels in the capital.
To maintain quality service, hotels change toiletries such as soap, tooth paste, shampoo and cologne in guestrooms for every customer. The toiletries are usually dumped.
Electronic appliances are also replaced every several years for renovation even though they do not have any specific problem. Such changes are also a financial burden for the hotels.
“The hotels said they are willing to provide such products,” said Kim Jong-seok, director of the city government’s low income and homeless assistance division.
The city will collect 32 items including toiletries, pillows and TVs. These will be processed and delivered to at least 3,600 residents. The project will begin later this year.
“This project is meaningful as these residents are too poor to afford basics such as tooth brushes and tooth paste,” Kim said.
According to city statistics, these people earn 510,000 won per month on average, and they spend 45 percent of their earnings on rent. Despite support from city government, many cannot afford to buy toiletries.
The items will also be delivered to homeless support centers.
The Westin Chosun Seoul and Grand Intercontinental Seoul Parnas are among the 18 hotels that have shown interest in the project, and the city will make the donation tax deductable so that more hotels will be encouraged to participate.
Conrad Seoul, which is already participating in a similar project, welcomed the idea. The hotel ships soap to an NGO in Hong Kong which processes and sends it to low-income households in the Philippines and neighboring countries.
“It is great to know that this meaningful project is spreading to Seoul,” the hotel’s general manager Nils-Arne Schroeder said.