Plastic can be found virtually anywhere in the world. This is especially the case in Korea. According to the European Plastic Manufacturers Association in 2015, one Korean individual was responsible for creating an average of 130 kilograms of annual plastic waste, which is more than anyone in the world.
Plastic is part of our everyday lives. So much that we are number one in using them in the world. But what exactly happens to these items after use?
Although plastic is considered recyclable, Koreans are producing more plastic than recycling plants can handle. Those recycling plants began to stockpile recyclable trash, Consequently, some private recycling plants have resorted to “exporting” plastic waste to developing countries in questionable methods.
Solving the garbage problem is simple: produce less garbage. But this is easier said than done. However, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) decided to take matters into their own hands. At the end of last year, WWF partnered with Jejupass and they launched the Plastic Free Challenge in Korea. The challenge is simple. Try not to use disposable plastic such as bottles and straws, take a picture of a tumbler, and upload it to social media with the hashtag of #plasticfree. Also, the participant calls out two people to continue the challenge. Every time someone partakes in this challenge, Jejupass donates 1,000 KRW to WWF, which they use for wildlife conservation and to fund campaigns for less plastic use.
Since then, many government officials, companies, and celebrities decided to join in on the plastic challenge through Instagram, blogs and other media. Along with this challenge, the Korean government passed a bill to limit all disposable products including plastic in businesses. This is the main reason why fast food restaurants, cafes, and movie theaters do not give out disposable plastic cups unless the order is takeout.
Yet the problem is far from being over. Media outlets, such as SBS, reports that this law isn’t being enforced enough, as a number of businesses and consumers continue to ignore this change. Moreover, plastic straws are still in widespread use because of their cheap price compared to other materials. This is despite the fact that straws are small and numerous, making it harder for collection. While the efforts to reduce plastic is being made, both socially and in regulation, it may be a while for Korea to step down from the title of one of the top plastic users in the world.
Written by Sungwon Mun | Staff Writer
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