Seoul City-Facilities Corporation Launch April Pilot Project to Eliminate Single-Use Cups at Gocheok Dome Baseball Stadium

Most Single-Use Cups Not Recovered or Recycled, Disposed as Waste
Reusable Cups to Replace Single-Use Cups at Gocheok Dome Baseball Stadium for One Month Until the 29th

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government has launched a campaign to eliminate single-use items at baseball stadiums.

On the 2nd, Seoul announced that starting this year, the sale and bringing in of plastic cheering tools are banned at baseball stadiums located in Seoul. Furthermore, on the 3rd at 2 PM, coinciding with the opening of the 2021 KBO League, a pilot project to use reusable cups instead of single-use cups will be implemented at the Gocheok Dome Baseball Stadium (Gocheok Sky Dome).

Since 2018, Seoul has established a comprehensive plan called "Seoul Without Single-Use Plastics" and has continuously worked to reduce single-use waste by collaborating with the Seoul Facilities Corporation and professional baseball teams to phase out single-use vinyl cheering sticks.

Spectators wishing to use reusable cups at Gocheok Dome can rent them at the reusable cup rental booth located in front of Gate C (2nd floor infield center) by paying a deposit of 1,000 KRW (cash or card). After renting the cup, they can purchase beverages at food and drink vendors. Once finished, returning the cup to the return booth will allow them to get their deposit refunded.

Through this pilot project, Seoul plans to analyze the reduction effect of single-use waste within the stadium and the level of citizen participation, and will consider expanding the use of reusable cups to other sports facilities such as Jamsil Baseball Stadium in the future.

Jung Mi-seon, head of the Resource Circulation Division of Seoul, stated, "With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the use of single-use items has surged, causing serious social issues related to household waste management. We ask for the interest and active participation of citizens in this pilot project aimed at reducing waste generated at sports facilities."