BUSINESSES WORK TOWARD REDUCING WASTE

[Anchor Lead]

With disposable products being used widely during the pandemic, the amount of waste is snowballing, and some say it's inevitable. But some Korean businesses are receiving positive response from customers for their efforts to minimize unnecessary waste.

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Trash sent from stores keeps pouring into the garbage collection site in this department store. The amount of waste paper discarded at all branches reaches some 8700 tons annually. From this year, there are some changes. Some eight million shopping bags used every year are made from recycled paper. Customers seem to like the idea.

[Soundbite] Myung Young-hee(Seoul Resident) : "I always thought using shopping bags is detrimental to the environment. Recycling paper to make bags without throwing away resources is a good idea."

[Soundbite] Won Jong-koo(Seoul Resident) : "Receiving a fancy shopping bag may feel good, but I am willing to join the eco-friendly cause."

Unlike many seaweed products, this one produces zero plastic waste. Just one and a half years since its release, more than 10 million pieces of this seaweed product have been sold. Moreover, it's small packaging helps minimize the use of paper boxes. Other makers of seasoned seaweed also followed suit, receiving positive consumer response.

[Soundbite] Park Won-jun(Seoul Resident) : "Carrying and storing bulky products used to be a problem for me. Smaller package size is also good for the environment."

In 2021, the amount of waste produced in households, restaurants and retail companies rose more than 6 percent on-year, reaching 22 million tons as a result of the pandemic. Consumers welcome manufacturers' efforts to minimize unnecessary waste, which could inspire others to protect the environment.