Gangnam-gu Extends Free Food Waste Collection for 9,800 Small Restaurants Until Year-End

Extension of 3 Months to Ease Small Business Owners' Financial Burden Due to COVID-19... Average Discount of 330,000 KRW per Business

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jeong Soon-gyun) will extend the free food waste collection service, currently provided to about 9,800 small restaurants, until December to ease the management burden on small business owners struggling due to COVID-19.

The free food waste collection service, which Gangnam-gu was the first local government nationwide to implement starting in April, was originally scheduled to end this month. However, the period has been extended to support small business owners whose livelihoods are threatened by a sharp decline in sales caused by the resurgence of COVID-19.

The free collection targets approximately 9,800 general and casual restaurants with a store area of less than 200㎡. They can dispose of food waste by placing it in designated containers without using volume-based waste bags or food waste payment certificates.

With this support, local restaurants will receive an average monthly fee reduction of 37,000 KRW, amounting to 330,000 KRW over nine months.

Wi Seong-cheol, Director of the Cleaning Administration Division, said, “The extension of free collection is absolutely necessary to revitalize the local commercial district, which has been depressed due to strengthened social distancing measures.” He added, “We will continue to work hard to prepare various support measures that provide practical help to small business owners, reflecting the ‘Mimiwi spirit’ of cooperating, caring, and respecting each other to overcome COVID-19.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.