Sejong, April 25 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) signed an agreement with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) and ten professional baseball teams to make baseball stadiums free of disposable products on April 18, 2023, at Seoul Jamsil Baseball Stadium. The participating teams are Doosan Bears, Lotte Giants, Samsung Lions, Kiwoom Heroes, Hanwha Eagles, Kia Tigers, KT Wiz, LG Twins, NC Dinos, and SSG Landers. This agreement was made to reduce the use of disposable products and waste in baseball stadiums and is with the cooperation of concerned organizations, including professional baseball teams. According to the 5th National Waste Statistics Survey (2016-2017), 35.7% (2,203 tons) of the waste generated (6,176 tons) at sports facilities nationwide came from baseball stadiums.

Each team will reduce the use of disposable items for cheering, such as balloon sticks at the baseball stadium. They will also switch to reusable products for their official cheering items that, if discarded, will be collected and separated appropriately for reuse.

In addition, until now, when spectators purchased canned beverages, they were provided with disposable cups, which will no longer be provided. The Ministry expects this will reduce the annual use of approximately four million disposable cups at baseball stadiums. It was the estimated quantity that was used during the regular season (720 games) (KBO, 2022).

The food and beverage vendors in the stadiums will also gradually expand the use of reusable containers. Separate disposal bins for transparent PET bottles will also be set up to prevent contamination or mixing with other waste. The Ministry plans to continue promotional activities using stadium scoreboards, social media, and other channels to encourage baseball fans to reduce disposable products and properly separate waste.

There will also be an event to encourage the use of reusable cups. On the day of the agreement ceremony, reusable cups were given to spectators at Jamsil Baseball Stadium (1,000 people, first-come, first-served basis). Those who take photos of themselves using the reusable cup and post them on the Recycling Practice Platform (recycling-info.or.kr) will be eligible for a prize to be awarded in a draw held soon.

Minister of Environment Han Wha-jin said, "We need active participation from the members of society to reduce disposable products in our everyday lives." She added, "We ask for the support and participation of all baseball fans to reduce disposable products."