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use of disposable products has increased a lot amid COVID-19. The Ministry of Environment also temporarily relaxed the related regulations, but as we start to recover our daily lives, we are now starting to reduce the use of disposable cups in cafes again.



Reporter Song In-ho reports.



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A coffee franchise store in Seoul.



When ordering, unless otherwise requested, they are served in disposable cups.



[Only the QR code, please. Disposable cups.] The



use of disposable cups fell below 10% in 2019, before the corona crisis, and rose again to 50% last year.



In line with the gradual recovery of daily life, regulations on the use of disposable cups will be in full swing again.



The Ministry of Environment recently deleted the exception to exclude cafes and restaurants from the restrictions on the use of disposables in the case of an infectious disease, and requested each local government to regulate the use of disposables again.



The first regulated item is plastic transparent cups, which will apply to all cafes at the end of this year or early next year, regardless of store size.



Some places have switched to reusable cups that can be reused up to 100 times before the regulation goes into effect.



When ordering takeout, you have to pay a deposit of 1,000 won, but it will be returned when you return the cup to the store collection.



[Lee Byung-yeop / Starbucks Communication Team Deputy Manager: (Seoul City) We estimate that we can save about 100 million disposable cups a year.]



Consumers' reactions are mixed.



[Sung Joo-hyun/Housewife: I always felt bad because there was so much garbage.

But since it's multi-use, I guess I'll have to use it again.

Good.]



[Lee Jae-ha/Office worker: It is a bit compulsory, but I think it is a bit inconvenient.]



Reusable cups are collected by a specialized company and washed before reuse.



[Jang Jae-hoon/Team leader of dishwashing company: First filter fine foreign substances with ultrasonic waves.

After high-temperature and high-pressure washing, it goes through a drying process and is put into a dryer called a UV sterilizer.] The



number of microorganisms in the washed reusable cup was less than half of that of the general disposable cup, and the key is how much consumers will participate.



(Video editing: Choi Eun-jin, CG: Jang Seong-beom, VJ: Shin So-young)