When eating out at a restaurant in Yonggang-dong, Mapo-gu, check if there is a bin or a sack collecting bottle caps.

Seoul Mapo-gu Yonggang-dong community center announced Friday that it will support the region’s low-income households by exchanging recyclable bottle caps for rice. 

According to the community center, last month’s trial run showed a stimulating outcome of 35,000 bottle cap collected within a month at bins placed at 50 or so participating restaurants.

Every 500 bottle caps can be exchanged for 10 kilograms of rice, which will be distributed to low-income households.

A restaurant owner involved in the social project is quoted by the community center as having said, “Seeing the customers consciously put in bottle caps in the collection bin, I feel the society still has warmth and caring sentiments left for the weak.”

The Yonggang community center plans to tie in collaborative deals with regional social communities and liquor companies such as the Lotte Liquor and the Hite Jinro.

Nearby Mapo Subway Station and Gongdeok Subway Station in Yonggang-dong is a “food culture street” where a many worthy restaurants can be found in one spot.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)