Sejong-si to Completely Ban Use of Single-Use Items Inside Stores Starting April

[Asia Economy (Sejong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Sejong City announced on the 22nd that starting April 1, the use of single-use items inside food service establishments will be completely banned.

Until now, the use of single-use items inside food service establishments such as cafes and general restaurants was temporarily allowed due to the spread of COVID-19.

However, with the revision of the Ministry of Environment's notice, from April, the use of single-use items such as paper cups, plastic straws, and stirring sticks will be completely banned in food service establishments and collective dining facilities, according to the city.

Before the full ban, the city will operate an intensive guidance period until the end of next month. During this period, the city plans to send notices to 5,135 food service establishments in the jurisdiction and post notices at town, township, and neighborhood community centers.

Starting April 1, the city will conduct spot inspections and impose fines of up to 3 million KRW on businesses that violate the ban on single-use items.

Kim Eun-hee, head of the city's Resource Circulation Division, said, “Due to changes in consumption patterns caused by COVID-19, the use of single-use items has surged,” and added, “We ask for the active cooperation of store managers so that reducing single-use items can become a daily habit.”

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