[Report] "Can We Hit a Home Run in Reducing Single-Use Waste at Baseball Stadiums?"

Trash Overflowing Immediately After the Game 'Missing Separation Collection'
Recommendation of 'Reusable Containers' for Various Single-Use Items Like Plastic Cups

Last weekend on the 27th, at the recycling station located at the entrance of Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Although it is a place where only paper should be disposed of, cola PET bottles and beer cans were left there, and overall, the recycling was a mess. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "We should separate the recyclables. But it seems like everyone is just leaving as is." , "We also need to reduce disposable items."

On the sunny weekend (27th) last week, Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul was packed with spectators eager to watch the game between LG and Kiwoom. The attendance was 15,250, and the cheering for each team was at its peak. The game ended with LG winning 1-0, and as LG secured their victory in the top of the 8th inning, the crowd began to leave like a receding tide.

Kiwoom fans could only smile bitterly, but with the heatwave over and the weather cooling down, it was an enjoyable weekend for everyone. The problem was that the food waste and various disposable items such as plastics and cheering tools like vinyl bags were not properly separated for recycling during the game.

The reporter observed the recycling stations at several exits where the crowd was leaving for dozens of minutes alternately, and found that most spectators did not properly separate their trash. A male spectator, appearing to be a man in his 40s, put beer paper cups and iced coffee plastic cups into a black plastic bag and threw it into the general trash bin as he left.

A male spectator in his 20s also threw a beverage cup with leftover coffee directly into the trash bin. In this case, the leftover coffee should have been poured into the food waste bin, and the cup separated and disposed of separately. Another spectator in his 30s seemed not to even consider separating recyclables, as he threw a vinyl bag containing leftover chicken and other food waste into the trash bin closest to the stadium exit and passed by.

The recycling bins, indiscriminately filled with trash, resembled a huge mountain of garbage. A man in his 40s at the scene said, "I wish the level of trash separation matched the level of the game," and criticized, "If you think of it as your own home, could you do this?"

Janitors cleaning the seats at the baseball stadium. Unlike in the past when food and drink trash was left behind, recently spectators take their trash with them when leaving. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

◆ How much trash is generated at baseball stadiums?

According to the 5th National Waste Statistics Survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment in 2016-2017, the amount of waste generated at baseball stadiums is 2,203 tons annually, accounting for 35.7% of the total waste generated at all sports facilities (6,176 tons). This is why it is essential to properly separate the mountain of trash generated on game days to maximize resource utilization and minimize environmental pollution.

In this regard, the Seoul Metropolitan Government signed a business agreement titled 'Activation of Reusable Container Use at Jamsil Baseball Stadium for Creating Zero Waste Seoul' with LG Twins, Doosan Bears, Amoje Food, Itgreen, and Hyosung Chemical to reduce disposable waste generated at baseball stadiums. The main points of the agreement include △ establishing a cooperative system to support consumers' use of reusable containers △ promoting the use of reusable containers at food and beverage facilities within Jamsil Baseball Stadium △ raising awareness and promoting the use of reusable containers.

Under this agreement, spectators can use the service at 40 stores inside Jamsil Baseball Stadium until September 23, and used reusable containers can be returned to return boxes placed throughout the stadium. There is no separate deposit. For example, when ordering food, spectators choose reusable containers, and after eating, they apply for return, which is collected contactlessly.

Reusable containers provided at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul. Photo by Seoul City

Not only is the reusable container pilot program being implemented, but starting November 24, disposable paper cups and disposable plastic straws and stirrers will be newly added to the list of restricted disposable items. Currently, only plastic cups are banned.

Yoo Yeon-sik, head of the Seoul Climate and Environment Headquarters, said, "Through this pilot project, we will develop a business model to promote the use of reusable containers in sports facilities and expand it to all sports facilities in the future."

Baseball fans welcome this move. Kim, a man in his 30s who often visits the baseball stadium to enjoy 'direct viewing' (watching the game live at the stadium), said, "Ultimately, it's about preventing environmental pollution, so I definitely intend to participate."

Another baseball fan in his 20s said, "There is a saying that spectators are the '10th batter' in baseball, so I think the manners of watching the game will improve." Regarding the issue of trash separation, he said, "The people who throw away trash should separate it, but it seems it will take some time to improve." A stadium management team official said, "We continuously display LED screen messages guiding recycling and provide announcements to promote related awareness."