Suwon City and Civic Groups Conduct Joint Inspection of Businesses Regulated for Single-Use Item Usage

Suwon City will conduct joint inspections of businesses subject to single-use product usage regulations in cooperation with civic groups.

The city of Suwon in Gyeonggi Province will conduct joint inspections of businesses subject to single-use product regulations within the district on the 25th and 26th, in collaboration with the Suwon Environmental Movement Center, a civic organization.

Previously, the Ministry of Environment expanded the list of regulated single-use products and strengthened regulations starting November last year, setting a one-year guidance period to enhance policy effectiveness and practical application in the field.

With the guidance period ending on November 23, Suwon City plans to promote the regulated single-use product items and compliance requirements, focusing on major commercial areas with high foot traffic in each district, and will inspect for any violations.

The Ministry of Environment’s regulated single-use product items include ▲paper cups, plastic straws, and stirring sticks (prohibited in food service businesses and collective catering facilities) ▲plastic bags (prohibited in general retail businesses, etc.) ▲single-use plastic cheering items (prohibited in sports facilities, etc.) ▲umbrella plastic covers (prohibited in large-scale stores, etc.).

Suwon City will impose fines if violations are detected after the guidance period. Details on regulated items and compliance requirements by industry can be found on the Suwon City website.

Suwon City has formed an inspection team of about 100 members to continuously inspect and provide on-site guidance to 6,176 targeted businesses annually. Additionally, promotional materials are posted in participating stores, and the city encourages registration in the “Reduce Single-Use Products” program, which tracks information on reducing single-use items. Currently, 128 locations in Suwon are participating in the “Reduce Single-Use Products” program.

A Suwon City official stated, "We expect this joint inspection involving citizen participation to serve as an opportunity for both businesses providing single-use products and citizens using them to join efforts in reducing single-use product usage."