[Seoul District News] Restriction on Plastic Bag Use in General Retail Stores like Bakeries and Convenience Stores, Ban on Free Provision in Restaurants & Limitation on Umbrella Plastic Bags Provided by Large Stores ... Yongsan-gu Recruiting Participants for Namyeong-dong Food Alley Artterior ... Eunpyeong-gu Supports Eco-friendly Boiler Installation with Subsidies of 100,000 KRW per Unit for General Households and up to 600,000 KRW for Low-income Families
[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) will strengthen regulations limiting the use of disposable items such as paper cups, straws, and plastic bags starting November 24.
This regulation is implemented in accordance with the amendment to the "Enforcement Rules of the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources."
Disposable plastic bags, which have been banned in large stores (over 3,000㎡) and supermarkets (over 165㎡), will also be prohibited in general retail businesses such as bakeries and convenience stores from the 24th. Additionally, restaurants and pubs, which were previously allowed to provide disposable bags, will be banned from providing them free of charge.
Along with this, the use of umbrella plastic covers provided by large stores and plastic cheering items at sports facilities will also be restricted.
Violations will result in fines of up to 3 million KRW. However, the district plans to set a one-year guidance period following the Ministry of Environment's guidelines.
Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, stated, "Not using disposable items is our duty for the next generation," and added, "We ask for the active interest and participation of all residents so that this beautiful practice can bear fruit."
Gangbuk-gu is proactively promoting various recycling and reuse projects to reduce indiscriminate use of disposable items and contribute to environmental protection, including ▲operating reusable cup collection bins within the district office ▲ice pack and transparent PET bottle exchange programs ▲producing shopping bags from recycled banners.
Yongsan-gu (Mayor Park Hee-young) is recruiting 20 businesses participating in the Artterior project in the Namyeong-dong food alley area until the 11th.
Artterior is a compound word of Art and Interior, a project that strengthens local commercial districts through collaboration between small business owners and local artists. Participating stores receive artist matching and up to 2 million KRW (material costs), and artists receive stepwise activity fees. Each artist is matched with about 2 to 3 stores.
Main support includes ▲renewal of interior and exterior spaces ▲display design such as menus and shop windows ▲product and printed material design such as shopping bags, business cards, and stickers ▲installation and exhibition of sculptures and paintings ▲marketing, etc.
The project targets small business stores in Namyeong-dong food alley with fewer than five regular employees, where consumers directly visit to purchase goods and services in-store.
To participate, applicants must prepare necessary documents such as an application form, consent form for business participation eligibility verification, consent form for collection, use, and provision of personal information, a copy of the business registration certificate, and the store lease contract, and visit the district office's Job and Economy Division. However, stores with a lease contract period of less than six months are not eligible. Franchise stores, chain stores, entertainment bars, and similar businesses are also excluded from support.
The district will select target businesses through screening. Additional points will be given to stores whose representative’s resident registration is in Yongsan-gu according to the business registration certificate, stores with a long operating period in the commercial district, small-scale stores, and stores with strong willingness to participate in merchant associations.
Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that it will expand the support targets for subsidies for installing eco-friendly boilers for households to improve air quality and save energy.
Eco-friendly boilers are boilers with high energy efficiency that reduce air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides emitted during exhaust gas discharge and reduce gas consumption.
Previously, support was only available to households that replaced their boilers with eco-friendly ones before the mandatory installation enforcement date of April 3, 2020. However, with the expansion, newly installing households will also receive subsidies.
Each boiler installation can receive up to 100,000 KRW for general households and up to 600,000 KRW for low-income households. Subsidies will also be retroactively applied to households that have already replaced boilers this year.
Households wishing to receive subsidies can apply by accessing the "Household Boiler Certification System" website or by visiting or mailing the district office’s Environment Division.
The application deadline is until early December or until the budget is exhausted. Eligible recipients will be selected in order of application receipt within the budget, and priority will be given when the budget is depleted.
Priority recipients are low-income households, privately operated social welfare facilities, households wishing to replace general household boilers, households switching from central heating to individual heating, and newly installing households, in that order.
Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, "Replacing with eco-friendly boilers not only reduces fine dust and carbon dioxide emissions but also saves heating costs," and added, "We hope many eligible residents will show interest and apply."
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