Consumers can take out and order food for delivery in reusable packages from restaurants around the Gangnam district instead of disposable containers.

The Ministry of Environment (Minister, Han Jeoung-ae) signed a 'Business Agreement on reusable takeout container program' with Seoul Metropolitan City, Council of Mayors of Districts in Seoul City, the Korea Franchise Association, the Great Imagination (operator of Yogiyo, food delivery service app), and Itgreen (a company specialized in cleaning reusable containers) in the Seoul City Hall on November 9th.

The business agreement aims to reduce single-use plastic waste. As the food delivery market in South Korea expanded, single-use plastic waste* has also increased considerably. 

* Food delivery 78%↑, plastic waste 19%↑, EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam 14%↑ in 2020 from 2019

Around sixty restaurants in the Gangnam district participate in the pilot project, and customers can order food for delivery in reusable containers through 'Yogiyo,' a food delivery service app. Customers can find participating restaurants on the 'Yogiyo' app and receive foods in stainless steel containers in a multi-use bag if they choose reusable containers (extra charge of 1,000 won) when ordering food. 

Customers can apply for the return by scanning the QR code attached to the multi-use bag and can put it outside their home or office. Then, the container cleaning service provider will collect reusable containers, clean them hygienically, and return them to the restaurants.

The initial goal of participating institutions of the agreement is to attract over a hundred restaurants in the pilot district to join the program by January next year. They also plan to expand the project from Gangnam to other districts in Seoul after analyzing the performance of the pilot project.

The Ministry of Environment will support policy reform to reduce the number of disposable products used in food delivery and packaging. This year, it plans to submit a revision of the 'Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources' to the National Assembly, in which the law will limit the complementary provision of disposable products (spoon, fork, etc.) in food delivery and packaging.

Next year, the Ministry will further facilitate the use of reusable delivery containers to curb the number of disposable containers. The Ministry will support purchasing and cleaning reusable containers in restaurants, funeral halls, movie theaters, etc., building a cleaning center for reusable containers, etc.

Hong Jeong-kee, Vice Minister of Environment, stated, "The Ministry plans to apply various available measures to spread reusable packaging in food deliveries while conducting the pilot project. "He also added, "The Ministry will also expand the project to other regions by supplementing it continually."

For inquiry, please contact 

- Resources Circulation Policy Division, Ministry of Environment 044-201-7340/7352