South Korea’s LG Energy Solution Ltd. said on Wednesday that it has started selling upcycled products made from waste separators through Naver’s online donation platform Happy Bean.
The products sold by LG Energy Solution include small crossbody bags, book cover pouches, and tablet pouches, all made from separators produced during the battery manufacturing process. The sales period runs until October 3.
This campaign is part of the “[Re:All] Campaign,” which LG Energy Solution launched to share its commitment to resource circulation with the public. The campaign incorporates the concept of battery resource recycling into upcycling.
Battery separators are key materials that safely separate the anode and cathode in batteries, but until now, most used separators have been discarded.
LG Energy Solution realized that ceramic-coated separators have properties that can block water and electricity, so they have been transformed into innovative upcycled materials with waterproof features, creating various everyday items.
In June, the company conducted the first phase of the campaign by selling the same products exclusively to LG Group employees, raising 13 million won ($9,700).
The proceeds from this public fundraising will be used for environmental protection and ecosystem restoration activities.
By Hyung-Kyu Kim
khk@hankyung.com
