Seongdong-gu Promotes Reusable Cup Support Project to Reduce About 84,000 Disposable Cups

Brokerage platform 'Shareit' signs MOU with reusable cup rental, cleaning, and delivery company 'Eolsingpack' to support reusable cups through public-private cooperation... Famous beverage companies and government agencies participate; 12,000 single-use cups saved by using reusable cups at Seongsu-dong pop-up store tasting event... Public institution cafes in district office buildings, public sports facilities, libraries, etc., offer 5 points per cup returned after use, reducing 72,000 single-use cups

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) announced that it has reduced approximately 84,000 disposable cups this year by promoting the ‘Reusable Cup Support Project.’

According to the ‘Plastic Korea 2.0 Report’ released last year by the international environmental organization Greenpeace, the recycling rate of household waste with a high proportion of disposable items is only about 16.4%. This is because many items are made of composite materials, and recycling becomes difficult when foreign substances are attached or when items are mixed during disposal. Toxic gases emitted into the atmosphere during incineration and landfill processes have also emerged as environmental issues.

In response, the district established a plan in May to ‘Reduce the Use of Disposable Takeout Cups’ to decrease the amount of disposable cups and waste generated in the Seongsu-dong cafe street and pop-up stores.

In particular, focusing on Seongsu-dong, which is a hot place with a large floating population and an active cafe street, and where disposable cups are mainly used during pop-up store tasting events, the district launched the reusable cup support project centered on Seongsu-dong. Multi-use facilities such as Seongdong-gu Office and public libraries were also included in the project.

First, reusable cup use is being actively encouraged for pop-up stores conducting tasting events. Pop-up stores that express willingness to participate are provided with reusable cup rental, cleaning, and delivery services.

To this end, in June, the district signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ‘Shareit,’ the largest domestic pop-up store brokerage platform, and ‘Eolsingpack,’ a reusable cup rental and cleaning company. As a result of actively encouraging the use of reusable cups from the planning stage of pop-up stores, a famous beverage brand (Del Monte) participated in July, and a government agency (LH) joined in November, achieving a reduction effect of 12,000 disposable cups.

At cafes located in Seongdong-gu Office, district-run sports facilities, and district-run libraries, reusable cups are provided by default when ordering drinks. After drinking, if the cup is returned by placing it in the return box, 5 points are accumulated per cup. The accumulated points can be exchanged for Naver Pay or convenience store mobile gift certificates. Through these efforts, about 72,000 disposable cups were reduced.

Additionally, Hanyang University Funeral Hall, which is relatively large in scale within the region, expressed its intention to participate in creating a disposable-free funeral hall after several consultations. Since a large amount of reusable containers are generated there, the district plans to promote the support project step-by-step to ensure there is no inconvenience caused by cleaning.

Furthermore, the district will continue employee education and campaigns to create a disposable cup-free public office and actively promote the use of tumblers and reusable containers during various events.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “The ‘Reusable Cup Support Project’ is an important initiative that serves as a foundation for conserving resources and reducing carbon emissions by decreasing disposable cup consumption. Active participation from businesses and residents is crucial.” He added, “We will continue to strive for carbon neutrality by promoting various policies that increase the recycling rate of resources, including the normalization of reusable cup use.”