[Initial Reaction] Withdrawal of Paper Cup Ban Should Not Send the Wrong Signal

"Our country is the only one that regulates paper cups." (Im Sang-jun, Vice Minister of Environment)

The government has indefinitely extended the guidance period for the use of disposable items in restaurants and cafes. Paper cups, one of the representative disposable items, have been completely removed from the list of regulated products.

The use of paper cups, plastic bags, and plastic straws is now effectively left to the discretion of store owners. Although it was explained that this is to reduce the burden on self-employed business owners who have to hire people to wash reusable cups, public opinion is not entirely favorable.

Vice Minister Im said that Korea is "the only country regulating paper cups," but even if that is true, there is no reason for us not to adopt such measures. There is a clear trend, especially among developed countries, to reduce the amount of disposable plastic waste. The European Union (EU) banned the use of plastic disposable items such as straws starting July 2021, and France prohibited the use of disposable plates and cutlery in fast food restaurants.

New Zealand also banned the use of plastic straws starting in July. Given this global trend, what reason is there for Korea not to lead this movement by banning the use of paper cups?

Although paper cups are perceived as recyclable, those frequently used in cafes are difficult to recycle unless collected separately due to their internal coating. Especially since Korea is known as a "coffee republic" with one of the highest coffee consumption rates worldwide, paper cup consumption has been increasing recently. While this is a burden for self-employed business owners, a sufficient grace period was provided. In fact, only those self-employed who thoroughly prepared during the grace period have been disadvantaged.

Moreover, the fact that this measure was implemented just before the general election makes it hard to dismiss suspicions of populism. Following the ruling party’s significant drop in support in the Seoul Gangseo District mayoral by-election, and other measures that could be interpreted as populist such as the push to incorporate Gimpo City in Gyeonggi Province into Seoul and the complete ban on short selling, this decision further fuels such suspicions.

The policy to reduce disposable plastic is not just about the profit and loss calculations of self-employed business owners but is connected to the future of our descendants and, ultimately, global warming. If the pros and cons of the general election influenced this decision, it should be kept in mind that it could lead to judgment at the polls rather than gaining votes.

This measure also contradicts the carbon neutrality principles announced by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. In the carbon neutrality plan announced last March, the government stated the principle of "reducing waste in production and consumption processes by reducing disposable items." Last year, a national agenda was also presented to create a circular economy structure through recycling plastics and to reduce household plastic waste by 20% by 2025. Only about two years remain until 2025.

The government said it would encourage voluntary participation, but it is uncertain whether awareness improvement and support alone, without fines, can draw private sector participation. There is concern that self-employed business owners might misunderstand this measure as a signal that "it is okay to freely use paper cups and plastic straws." There is also a risk that environmental awareness among consumers and sellers could regress to the level before the disposable cup regulations were introduced in 2019. The government should not leave this solely to self-regulation but must prevent this "regression" through active support and large-scale awareness campaigns.