Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Accelerates Efforts to Create a Disposable-Free Daily Life

‘Yongginae Gwangsan! Resource Circulation Practice Citizen Movement’ Promotion

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Samho) has launched an initiative to spread the practice of resource circulation to create a daily life free of disposable products.

On the 16th, Gwangsan-gu announced that it will promote the “Bring Your Own Container, Gwangsan! Citizen Movement for Practicing Resource Circulation,” which encourages the use of tumblers (reusable cups) instead of disposable products and plastics in cafes.

Cafes that offer discounts on coffee prices when customers use personal tumblers will receive incentives worth about 50,000 KRW per month, including garbage bags and eco-friendly detergents. Additionally, citizens who use tumblers and refrain from using straws will be entered into a draw to receive coffee coupons from the participating cafes.

Earlier, when Gwangsan-gu recruited participating cafes, more than 20 businesses expressed their intention to join.

The district plans to provide incentives until the end of the year and will continuously recruit additional participating cafes until the budget is exhausted to promote the culture of practicing resource circulation.

They will also promote a voluntary agreement with participating cafes in “Bring Your Own Container, Gwangsan” to reduce the use of disposable products in stores, such as using reusable cups and not providing plastic straws.

Furthermore, to encourage the use of tumblers instead of disposable products, Gwangsan-gu has installed a tumbler sterilizing and cleaning machine on the first floor of the district office building, the first among autonomous districts in Gwangju.

The cleaning machine, completed on the 9th, electrolyzes tap water to generate sterilizing water, allowing tumblers to be sterilized and cleaned within 10 seconds using pure water without detergent.

Resource circulation practice stickers, which can be attached to everyday items such as credit cards, tumblers, and mobile phones, will also be produced and distributed to citizens. The stickers are designed with various slogans emphasizing resource circulation and illustrations of endangered animals.

A Gwangsan-gu official said, “Small actions like refraining from using disposable products and using tumblers are one of the effective ways to reduce greenhouse gases and respond to the climate crisis,” and added, “We hope for citizens’ great interest and active participation.”

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