(Pyeongtaek = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Kwang-ho = The city of Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province announced on the 12th that it will pilot a “Reusable Container Support Project for Restaurant Takeout and Delivery” from this month to reduce the use of disposable products and promote a resource-circulating culture.
As part of the pilot project, approximately 70 restaurants in the area will participate. Citizens can select the “Reusable Container Order” category on delivery apps to receive their food in stainless steel reusable containers packed in special bags.
Used containers can be placed back into the special bags, and users can scan the attached QR code to request a return, at which point a professional collection service will retrieve them.
The collected reusable containers undergo high-temperature and high-pressure washing and disinfection before being reused.
Citizens can use the reusable containers without any deposit or additional charge, and the city will offer coupons to new users.
According to Statistics Korea, food delivery service transactions amounted to 26.4 trillion won in 2023 and are estimated to exceed 27 trillion won in 2024. As single-person households increase and non-contact consumption expands, food delivery continues to rise, leading to an increase in disposable plastic waste.
A city official said, “We expect this project to significantly contribute to reducing the amount of waste generated and carbon emissions by decreasing the use of disposable containers widely used in delivery restaurants.” They urged active citizen participation.