'"Straw Sucking" Juice Packs Disappearing? "Hard for Kids to Drink" vs "We Must Consider the Environment"'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A revised regulation banning the attachment of disposable plastic straws to beverage products has been prepared, making it unlikely to see disposable straws attached to beverages in the future.

On the 8th, the Ministry of Environment announced that it has recently given legislative notice of the revised "Regulations on Packaging Materials and Packaging Methods of Products." The Ministry plans to collect opinions until the 9th of next month and finalize the draft after discussions.

The Ministry of Environment explained that attaching unnecessary accessories to packaging materials not only makes recycling the packaging itself difficult but also causes problems such as resource waste, and this revision aims to improve these issues.

According to the revision, first, when packaging products, packaging materials that are easy to recycle should be used, and when packaging for transportation, tapes and cushioning materials that are not made of synthetic resin, and ice packs containing coolants made of materials other than superabsorbent polymers are recommended.

Additionally, the act of bonding, coating, or attaching metal foil or vinyl to paper packaging materials for transportation purposes, as well as attaching (plastic) straws to beverage products, is prohibited.

Along with this, to prevent excessive packaging during parcel delivery, for disposable packaging, the packaging space ratio is limited to 50% or less, and the number of packaging times is limited to once. This system applies equally to manufactured or imported products.

Meanwhile, regarding the ban on attaching plastic straws to beverage products, a heated debate has erupted among netizens.

Some netizens expressed support, saying, "We must reduce it somehow for the environment," and "Although it is a bit inconvenient, we hope for good results in terms of environmental protection and resource saving." Recently, an online consumer movement has emerged where consumers campaign to return straws attached to products with glue guns against Maeil and Namyang Dairy, saying "We return the straws."

On the other hand, those opposing the ban argue, "Children cannot drink beverages without straws," and "It is difficult to cut straws with knives or scissors every time."

In response, the Ministry of Environment acknowledged the opposition and stated that they will sufficiently collect opinions during the legislative notice period, adding, "We continue to recommend other measures such as attaching paper straws instead of plastic straws or placing straws on stands so that only those who need them can take them."

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