"Public Officials Take the Lead" ... Changwon Special City to Eliminate Single-Use Funeral Items

Changwon City Signs Reusable Container Agreement with Public Officials' Union

Reducing Single-Use Funeral Items and Promoting Resource Circulation

Public officials in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, are taking active steps to accelerate plastic reduction and promote eco-friendly funeral practices.

On May 13, Changwon Special City signed a work agreement with the labor union to implement the “Use of Reusable Containers for Employee Funeral Items in Changwon Special City.”

This agreement was established to drastically reduce the use of disposable items, which are generated in large quantities at funeral halls, and to have the public sector lead the transition to a resource-circulating society.

According to the agreement, starting in July, public officials using local funeral halls will use reusable containers instead of single-use funeral items. To help with early adoption, the city will fully cover the cost of washing the reusable containers in the second half of this year, and from next year, will provide partial support for the costs depending on further discussions.

In particular, both the city and the labor union have focused on establishing a practical operational system. When the labor union promptly shares information about the occurrence of bereavement among employees, the city will supply and collect reusable containers at funeral halls twice daily and operate a cleaning and sterilization system. To this end, the city plans to produce additional reusable containers and concurrently carry out promotional activities, including guidance on proper usage.

The city has set a long-term vision to ensure that this agreement is not just a one-off event. Moving forward, it plans to expand cooperation with major local companies to spread the “Plastic-Free Practice Campaign” throughout the community.

Jang Geumyong, acting mayor of Changwon Special City, stated, “Reducing single-use items at funeral halls is an essential task in responding to the climate crisis,” adding, “We hope that small actions within the public sector will serve as a catalyst for changing public awareness and accelerating the transition to a resource-circulating society.”

Son Minbae, head of the public officials labor union, said, “It is very meaningful for labor and management to come together to address the climate crisis,” and added, “We will take the lead as public officials and actively cooperate to help a culture of resource circulation take root in the local community.”