Seoul cuts back on single-use plastic

A customer borrows a tumbler next to the counter at Bottle Factory, a cafe in Mapo-gu, Seoul. / Courtesy of Bottle Factory

By Lee Suh-yoon

Bottle Factory, a small coffeehouse in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, gives a glimpse into what cafes will be like in a plastic-free Seoul.

Drinks are served in glass cups and stainless-steel straws are used. Plastic cups and straws are not provided, not even for take-out orders. But there is a basket of clean tumblers and reusable plastic bottles customers can choose from and borrow for a small deposit fee. A small sink with cleaning brushes stands on one side so visitors can easily wash their reusable containers.

The use of single-use plastic goods has dropped visibly since August, after the government began a crackdown on cafes and restaurants that serve drinks in disposable cups to customers who consume them on-site.

Though not as rigorous as Bottle Factory, more and more cafes are now inching toward a greener business model, stocking up on glasses and mugs.

Plastic cups, however, are still a common sight. There is no law limiting the use of plastic cups for take-out orders and most people do not carry around their own bottle or tumbler.

In fact some cafes still hand out drinks in disposable cups for on-site orders as well, citing the hassle of washing used cups during busy hours. Customers sometimes ask for take-out plastic cups so they can take the leftover drink with them.

Still, the government inspections have brought meaningful changes. A study of 1,052 coffee shops from Aug. 21 to 22 by the Korea Zero Waste Movement Network showed that 60 percent of them used reusable cups only.

Seoul City's crackdown on single-use plastic cups is part of its ambitious plan to become a "plastic-free" city, or at least halve the use of disposable plastic goods by 2022.

The average Korean uses over 132 kilograms of plastic a year.

The city government's master plan, unveiled last month, also targets plastic bags and take-out food containers.

"Our focus is all single-use plastics. We've seen considerable progress in reducing the use of plastic cups at coffee shops over the past month," Choi Kyu-dong, a city government official, told The Korea Times, Monday. "We believe the same is possible for plastic bags through better monitoring and cooperation with private sectors."

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has already banned plastic umbrella covers and disposable cups and bags at City Hall and district offices in Seoul. It is also working with civic groups and small businesses to reduce the use of plastic bags in traditional markets.

"There's already a widespread consensus, even among sellers at traditional markets, that plastic bags have to go," Lee Soo-nam, head of Seoul Saemaeul Women's Association, said in a phone interview. "We're planning to set up reusable shopping bags made from old banners at different locations in traditional markets so consumers can easily borrow them."

The strengthened crackdown on plastic waste was partly induced by the waste crisis in April when recycling firms stopped collecting recyclable waste, most notably plastic bags and wrappers, after China stopped importing them due to environmental concerns.

Starting next year, employees and visitors will be banned from bringing plastic cups into the City Hall building to encourage the use of reusable bottles. Mayor Park Won-soon proudly showed his own tumbler at the "Plastic Zero Seoul" talk concert with citizens last month.

Plastic air-blown cheering bats — a staple of baseball stadiums here — will also be replaced in the coming years, city officials said.

The city government will also discourage the use of disposable cutlery and food containers when assigning stations to food trucks and other food businesses at parks or during city-sponsored events.

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