Korea reverses ban on single-use paper cups due to strong opposition

[Photo by Han Joo-hyung]

South Korea called off a ban on single-use paper cups at restaurants and coffee shops, which was implemented by the former Moon Jae-in administration in 2018 in its environment protection policy. The ban sparked opposition from both owners of restaurants and coffee shops as well as their customers as they navigate challenging business environments, including high inflation.

The Ministry of Environment recently scrapped the ban on disposable paper cups for restaurants, cafes, and other food service facilities. The ban on using plastic straws and bags at cafes and convenience stores will also not be enforced, with an extended grace period.

“The bans faced a lack of sufficient social consensus,” Vice Environment Minister Lim Sang-jun said in a briefing. “The government does not want to burden small businesses and self-employed individuals who are already facing economic challenges such as rising costs, high inflation, and high interest rates, with further regulations.”

Regarding the ban on paper cups, Lim said that the burden on businesses increased due to the need to hire additional staff for washing multi-use cups or installing dishwashers. He also noted that Korea was the only country regulating single-use paper cups.

The ban on disposable paper cups was not effectively practiced. Representative Lee Joo-hwan obtained data from the Ministry of Environment, which revealed that 14 cafe franchises, including Starbucks and fast-food companies like McDonald’s, recycled an average of 238.57 million disposable cups annually between 2017 and 2021. But the ratio of recycled cups to usage during the same period was only 27.5 percent, falling short of the 30 percent target.

The ministry also extended the grace period for the ban on plastic bags for general retailers, including convenience stores and bakeries, as the ban has been relatively successful even without strict enforcement.