Peak Pouch Turns 5,180 Tons of Park Waste Into Trash Bag Holders - Yanko Design

"South Korea's national parks removed trash bins to protect ecosystems and pushed a carry-in, carry-out policy. The unintended side effect is that visitors hide trash in rock crevices or behind trees because they lack an easy way to deal with it. Over five years, 5,180 tons of waste were collected from parks, roughly 200 fully loaded 25-ton trucks, underlining the scale of the problem when good intentions meet poor infrastructure."

"Peak Pouch is part of a National Park Upcycling Project, a portable waste-bag dispenser and bag holder made from waste wood decks and plastics collected directly from the parks. The designers argue that visitors are not short on environmental awareness; they are short on tools and motivation. Peak Pouch turns the abstract idea of conservation into something you can hold and use on every hike, making the right behavior easier than hiding trash."

"Designer: Hyunbin Kim Peak Pouch is a small, organic cylinder inspired by the curves of Baengnokdam crater in Hallasan National Park. The body is a blend of upcycled wood and plastic, with irregular speckles and a rough but warm texture that the designers leave visible. It feels closer to a small stone or piece of bark than a gadget, helping it sit naturally in a hiking context and build an emotional link to the landscape it came from."

"The product is built from just three parts for intuitive use. It uses biodegradable roll bags to keep the system sustainable, and the bottom slot uses a simple twist-lock mechanism for refilling. You twist off the base, drop in a new roll, twist it back on, and you are done. The simplicity reduces friction, so carrying and refilling bags does not feel like a chore."

National parks removed trash bins to protect ecosystems and implemented a carry-in, carry-out policy, which led visitors to hide waste in crevices when disposal was inconvenient. Over five years, parks collected 5,180 tons of waste, illustrating the scale of unmanaged litter. Peak Pouch is an upcycled, portable waste-bag dispenser made from park-collected wood and plastics. The dispenser is a small, organic cylinder designed to resemble natural elements and uses biodegradable roll bags with a twist-lock refill and one-handed tear access. A top strap keeps it visible and reachable, reducing friction and making proper disposal easier on hikes.

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