Seoul Medical Center Operates First 'Disposable-Free Funeral Hall'

Only reusable containers allowed for serving mourners... Disposable containers provided by funeral service companies and other groups also prohibited

Approximately 80% reduction in waste output observed in early operation... Expected spread of eco-friendly funeral culture

A, who prepared the funeral hall for his mother who passed away after a long battle with illness at Seoul Medical Center Funeral Hall, served all food in reusable containers, unlike other funeral halls that generate large amounts of waste by using disposable plates, cups, spoons, and chopsticks. The management of reusable containers was supported by a dedicated manager in the incense offering room during the funeral.

Seoul Medical Center (Acting Director Kim Seok-yeon) began operating the nation’s first funeral hall on the 3rd that uses only reusable containers without any disposable containers.

Seoul Medical Center has implemented a complete ban on the use of disposable containers, which were indiscriminately used in funeral halls until now, and introduced reusable containers to actively participate in carbon neutrality efforts for future generations.

In particular, Seoul Medical Center is the first in the country to completely introduce reusable containers by banning the use of disposable containers provided through funeral service companies, companies, and individuals at funeral halls nationwide.

Reusable containers are provided in sufficient quantities without limitation upon customer request by paying a usage fee (tableware rental fee) assigned per incense offering room to ensure no inconvenience. Additionally, a dedicated manager responsible for tableware rental and return, quantity verification, and hygiene management in the kitchen is assigned to the funeral hall to support management.

Reusable bowls, spoons, and cups used in the funeral hall are collected by a specialized company, undergo a seven-step washing process, and are then supplied again. Seoul City plans to maintain container cleanliness by applying standards four times stricter than those of private sterilization companies through regular hygiene inspections.

Although in the initial stage, the operation of a funeral hall without disposable containers has resulted in nearly an 80% reduction in waste output per funeral hall. In 2022, approximately 6,000 100ℓ bags of waste were generated at Seoul Medical Center Funeral Hall, but it is expected to decrease significantly with the full implementation of reusable container use.

Kim Seok-yeon, Acting Director of Seoul Medical Center, stated, “Seoul Medical Center is the first to use only reusable containers in funeral halls,” and added, “We will do our best to become a funeral hall that leads eco-friendly practices while minimizing inconvenience to users.”