Where the Problem Was Found
Walking through Semyung University campus, cigarette butts, cans, and plastic bags are easily visible. Approximately 12 million cigarette butts are discarded daily, accounting for 15% of all fires in 2023. Students decided to investigate this problem that frequently occurs on campus.
Experiments in Smoking Areas
In the fall semester of 2025, Team 3 installed ashtrays around 5 locations including Semyung Hall and Social Science Building. The results were clear: the number of cigarette butts decreased noticeably. The habit of throwing butts on the ground instead of walking to trash cans when others were nearby was changed by the placement of ashtrays.
In the spring semester of 2026, Team 5 conducted a more precise experiment. They installed deep ashtrays in the Social Science Building and laid decorative tiles in the Engineering Building. After 3 days of observation, littering decreased in the ashtray areas, and there was almost no waste or butts in the tiled areas.
Blind Spots in Recycling
Team 2 investigated waste separation issues in dormitories. Many food-contaminated delivery containers were found in plastic recycling bins. The situation where plastics thrown together were also contaminated. Survey results showed “no washing space available” was the top response at 63%.
The solution was a simple washing space using shared bathrooms on each floor of the dormitory. After attaching guides and conducting washing sessions for 3 days from 4-8 PM, recycling participation rates improved.
Location of Trash Cans
Team 5 raised the issue of insufficient trash cans on campus. Even the trash cans that were already installed lacked a management system. They installed new ones at bus stops and next to Cheongnyong Hall, and created posters showing the locations of all campus trash cans.
Related Materials
- Lifelong Education Methodology Team 3 - Campus cigarette butt littering problem
- Lifelong Education Law Team 2 Living Lab - Dormitory recycling problem
- Campus Living Lab Team 5 - Lack of trash cans
- Lifelong Education Methodology Team 5 - Improving cigarette butt littering in smoking areas
- Lifelong Education Methodology Team 2 - Dormitory delivery container recycling
Questions Left by the Materials
These projects were experiments that changed “someone else will clean it up” into “what I can do.” Ideas like rebranding non-smoking areas, voting trash cans, and point rewards are cases already verified in other regions. This material asks readers to check what results these experiments produced at Semyung University campus.
This post was written based on project materials from Semyung University Campus Living Lab Lifelong Education Methodology.