[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chunhan] Seven Eleven announced on the 16th that it has introduced eco-friendly bags made from biodegradable materials.
The eco-friendly bags are made from 100% naturally decomposable materials that break down into water and carbon dioxide within 180 days when buried in soil, allowing them to be disposed of as regular waste. The product has received environmental mark certification from the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute for minimizing local environmental pollution and harmful substances.
According to Seven Eleven, approximately 110 million single-use plastic bags are supplied annually to franchise stores nationwide. Fully switching to eco-friendly bags could reduce carbon emissions by 4,620 tons, which is equivalent to planting 700,000 30-year-old pine trees.
Seven Eleven plans to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags at all stores as soon as possible. Considering store-specific situations such as existing inventory depletion, selective use will be allowed during the initial introduction phase, and from mid-July, all stores will replace existing plastic bags with eco-friendly bags. The selling price of the eco-friendly bags is 100 won.
A Seven Eleven representative said, “The introduction of these eco-friendly bags is a social effort to reduce plastic and disposable products and, above all, will be an effective environmental protection activity. We will continue to pay close attention and provide support to ensure that the culture of using eco-friendly bags is well established.”
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