Kim Wan-seop is answering questions from lawmakers during a comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Environment and other government affairs held at the Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on the morning of the 24th. 2024.10.24. [서울=뉴시스]”/>
The Ministry of Environment decided to entrust the implementation of the current ‘disposable cup deposit system’ to local governments. The plan is to maintain the national expansion policy, but allow local governments to determine targets, standards, and methods according to conditions and implement them through ordinances or agreements with companies.
●Withdrawal of mandatory deposit system for disposable cups
Minister of Environment Kim Wan-seop attended the comprehensive audit of the Ministry of Environment of the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee on the 24th and reported on the direction for improving the disposable cup deposit system, saying, “I think it would be better to gradually implement the current system in stages rather than uniformly expand it nationwide.” said. He added, “We plan to finalize the plan after consultation with the National Assembly, local governments, and industry, as it is currently under practical discussion.”
The Ministry of Environment is considering ways to improve the deposit system, such as customized implementation according to local conditions, gradual expansion focusing on large facilities and certain areas, and promotion of voluntary implementation by franchise units. Minister Kim said, “If this happens, we hope that local governments will increase acceptance and minimize unnecessary social controversy because they will do it through communication and local conditions.”
The government plans to allow local governments to set the deposit amount. Currently, the deposit of 300 won can be returned in cash or through a dedicated application (app), but in the future, there are plans to allow it to be returned as points through the app of a food and beverage franchise company.
With the decision of the Ministry of Environment that day, the policy of expanding the disposable cup deposit system nationwide was virtually completely abolished. It has been four years since the amendment to the Resource Recycling Act was introduced through agreement between the ruling and opposition parties in May 2020. The disposable cup deposit system is a system that requires a resource circulation deposit of 300 won when purchasing a beverage in a paper or plastic cup and receiving it back when the cup is returned.
●An ambiguous policy that is neither abolished nor maintained.
The disposable cup deposit system has experienced twists and turns since the beginning of its implementation. According to the revised law, it was to be implemented nationwide from June 10, 2022, two years after the amendment was promulgated. However, on May 20, 2022, just before implementation, the Ministry of Environment postponed implementation by six months, saying, “Time is needed to introduce the system,” and from December of the same year, the disposable cup guarantee system was implemented as a pilot operation only in Jeju and Sejong.
At that time, the Ministry of Environment clearly announced its policy to expand the related system nationwide by the end of 2025. However, as public opinion grew that the deposit system was inconvenient, difficulties were encountered in establishing the system. Resistance to the burden of costs has grown, especially among small business owners such as cafe owners, and voices of inconvenience have also been raised consistently, especially among consumers.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Environment announced in September of last year that it would withdraw the mandatory deposit system for disposable cups, citing reasons such as low public acceptance and the fact that the actual recycling rate of disposable cups is not high compared to the cost of inconvenience to consumers. It has been about a month since the Board of Audit and Inspection announced in August of last year, “It is desirable to pursue nationwide implementation in accordance with the purpose of revising the Resource Recycling Act as soon as possible.”
Since then, the Ministry of Environment’s concerns have grown amidst criticism from environmental groups that it is a “retreat from eco-friendly policies” and opposition party members asking, “Why aren’t they following the law?” The Ministry of Environment also considered changing the policy to ‘providing disposable cups at a cost’. However, as the Ministry of Environment’s internal discussion material on improving the deposit system for disposable cups revealed that it was trying to promote a so-called public opinion war, such as ‘using a group with confirmed potential to become an ally’, related discussions were halted.
Ultimately, on the 24th, the Ministry of Environment decided to implement a deposit system for disposable cups, maintaining the national expansion policy but leaving it up to local governments and consumer autonomy. Criticisms are also being raised from various quarters that this is an awkward policy of withdrawing the mandatory plan while maintaining the policy of ‘nationwide expansion’.
Minister Kim said at the National Assembly audit on the 24th, “If the disposable cup deposit system is uniformly expanded nationwide, there are concerns about restrictions on use by the digitally vulnerable, accessibility in areas with long travel distances such as farming and fishing villages, and the burden of store work, etc.” explained the reason. However, for this to happen, the Resource Recycling Act must be revised again, and the Ministry of Environment’s notice must be revised to delete the ‘mandatory expansion to the entire country’ clause.
Reporter Park Seong-jin psjin@donga.com