Disposable cups transformed into photographic paper
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The use of disposable cups and other products is on the rise as consumers are prioritizing safety from the coronavirus.
Disposable protective masks, plastic gloves, and plastic cups are being consumed en masse across South Korea and elsewhere in Asia.
In the meantime, a new ‘filaroid’ service that recycles disposable products into photographs is becoming popular.
Disposable cups made from paper, are notorious for hurting the environment due to the laminated substance in the cup’s interior which makes it very difficult to be recycled.
Filaroid replaces plastic photographic papers with an eco-friendly material recycled from paper cups.
Paper disposable cups are usually thrown away without any particular damage, making it easier to recycle their sturdy fibre which can be used in photographic paper.
Downloading a filaroid app on a smartphone allows users to create and edit photos that they want to be printed on the recycled photographic paper.
“We are working on teaming up with a local paper producer to begin mass production of photo paper recycled from paper cups,” said Oh Seung-ho, CEO of Taeoa Corp, a filaroid service provider.
Environmental value and profits raised from the recycled products are shared again with consumers. Filaroid offers free printing services every month to reduce the amount of paper cups incinerated each year.
Questions & Answers
Q.Why are disposable paper cups particularly difficult to recycle through conventional methods?
Why are disposable paper cups particularly difficult to recycle through conventional methods?
Disposable paper cups are notorious for being difficult to recycle because of the laminated substance used in their interior. This lamination prevents them from being easily processed with other paper products.
Q.What is the key environmental benefit of the filaroid service?
What is the key environmental benefit of the filaroid service?
The filaroid service replaces traditional plastic photographic papers with an eco-friendly material. This material is recycled directly from disposable paper cups, which are otherwise hard to recycle and often end up incinerated.
Q.How does filaroid encourage consumers to participate in their recycling initiative?
How does filaroid encourage consumers to participate in their recycling initiative?
Filaroid shares both environmental value and profits generated from recycled products with its consumers. They also provide free printing services every month to further encourage the recycling of paper cups.
Q.What is the current status of mass production for this recycled photographic paper?
What is the current status of mass production for this recycled photographic paper?
The CEO of Taeoa Corp, Oh Seung-ho, stated that they are actively working on partnering with a local paper producer. This collaboration aims to begin the mass production of photo paper recycled from paper cups.