NEWS: Incentives for zero waste

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will start its zero-waste business support project along with the citizen-participatory Zero-Waste Seoul Challenge to promote a zero-waste consumer culture which reduces unnecessary disposables and packaging materials.

Shops are labeled as a zero-waste business for selling products with minimal disposables and packaging materials, and consumers can purchase however much they want in a reusable container. As most privately operated zero-waste shops are small sole proprietorships, which often experience difficulties in merchandising and marketing, the city will select and support 95 existing and new zero-waste shops. Along with subsidies, selected shops will be actively supported so they can develop their independence through training and networking to open and operate a zero-waste business.

The Zero-Waste Seoul Challenge is a citizen-participatory event that addresses environmental issues. This year’s theme is reducing disposables, and citizens can upload photos of using reusables on Instagram with the required hashtag (#Zero_Seoul_Challenge) or participate via the Ministry of Environment’s National Environmental Educational Center website. Affiliated companies of the city’s private-public partnership network for responding to climate change will also participate in the challenge by encouraging the reduced use of disposables to employees.

Seoul will further encourage methods to protect the environment with small actions within peoples’ daily lives through supporting zero-waste businesses that minimize the usage of disposables and packaging materials as well as the Zero-Waste Seoul Challenge. The city will continue its environmental campaign with various topics so that participants can learn the value of zero-waste.

Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government