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From now on, if customers take beverages in disposable cups from cafes, restaurants, etc., they will have to pay a separate fee for the cup. The system will offer discounts for using multi-use cups like tumblers, while those who choose disposable cups will bear the cost. Minister Kim Sung-whan of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment proposed the ‘cup price payment system’ as one of the plastic-free, 脫-plastic measures during a presidential work report on the 17th. The key point is that disposable cups will no longer be provided free of charge when selling beverages at stores. Currently, the Ministry of Climate is implementing a disposable cup deposit system only in Sejong and Jeju on a limited basis. Under this system, consumers pay 300 Korean won per cup when ordering beverages, and they receive a refund upon returning the used cup to community centers or the same brand’s stores. Although the goal is to improve recycling rates, the cup recovery rate in the pilot regions, Sejong and Jeju, remains at 51%. Minister Kim stated, “Under the cup price payment system, the cup price is expected to be around 100–200 Korean won, and store owners can set it autonomously,” adding, “The minimum cost should be set higher than the supply price of the cup.” President Lee Jae-myung criticized the disposable cup deposit system pursued by the Ministry of Climate, calling it “desk-based administration.” Meanwhile, the disposable cup deposit system was introduced through an amendment to the Resource Recycling Act in 2020 during the Moon Jae-in administration. Although it was initially scheduled for nationwide implementation in June 2022, the former President Yoon Suk-yeol government postponed the enforcement, citing the burden on small business owners. submitted by /u/Substantial-Owl8342 |
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