마트에서 일회용 비닐봉지 금지…카페에서 텀블러 사용시 할인 재도입

As the situation with plastic waste got so out of hand here in the nation, last month, garbage trucks stopped collecting them all together.
The Environment Ministry is stepping up to the plate to deal with this problem.
Hong Yoo introduces to us, the new countermeasures to manage these recyclable refuse.
People reach for plastic bags for their groceries despite signs urging them to help the environment by using fewer bags.
But from October, plastic bags will no longer be used in South Korean supermarkets.
This is part of the government's measures, announced last Thursday, to manage recyclable waste.

"Reducing the use of disposable products and increasing recycling to become a society with sustainable resource circulation is an inevitable choice."

The countermeasures differ from the past because they also aim to reduce waste right from when the products are made.

"To make recycling easier, all colored plastic drinks bottles must be replaced by clear plastic bottles by 2020, and their labels must be easily detachable."

"It was a proper decision. Thoughtless exaggerated packaging and the endless use of plastic bags are contaminating our environment. So it is a good countermeasure."

"I bring my own shopping bag to help the environment at least a little bit."

To reduce the use of plastic cups in fast-food restaurants and cafes, the Environment Ministry will offer a 10 percent discount to customers who bring their own tumblers, and free refills to those that use mugs inside stores.

Along with the countermeasures, cooperation from the public and related businesses is crucial in order to reduce the amount of plastic waste.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.