Haenam County to Eliminate Paper and Plastic Cups... Introduction of Reusable Containers at Funeral Homes

Reducing Single-Use Product Costs Amid High Oil Prices
Full Support Provided with No Additional Burden on Bereaved Families

Single-use items that were previously discarded after one use at funeral homes are expected to gradually disappear in Haenam County, Jeollanam-do.

With Haenam County officially launching the "Support Project for the Activation of Reusable Containers in Funeral Homes" on April 8, a resource circulation model that significantly reduces waste without imposing additional costs on bereaved families is now in operation.

This project aims to reduce the massive amount of waste generated by routinely replacing single-use tableware such as plates, spoons, and cups at funeral homes with reusable alternatives.

Haenam County is actively promoting the "Support Project for the Activation of Reusable Containers in Funeral Homes" to establish an eco-friendly funeral culture. Provided by Haenam County

Especially as international oil prices have surged recently due to instability in the Middle East, causing the prices of petroleum-based single-use products like plastics to rise as well, the introduction of reusable containers is being highlighted as a practical alternative—not only for environmental protection but also for significantly lowering the costs associated with purchasing disposable items.

Haenam County has signed a service contract with the Haenam Regional Self-Sufficiency Center, which is equipped with professional washing facilities, to ensure hygienic and stable supply. The Self-Sufficiency Center supplies reusable containers to funeral homes, collects and washes them after use, and then provides them again, operating a systematic resource circulation system.

All costs associated with the use of reusable containers will be fully covered by the county, allowing bereaved families to use the service with peace of mind and without any additional financial burden. To ensure the successful establishment of the project, the county signed a "Support Business Agreement for the Use of Reusable Containers in Funeral Homes" on the same day with three local funeral homes—Haenam Forestry Cooperative Funeral Home, International Funeral Home, and Usuyeong Funeral Home—creating a close cooperation system.

This support project will run until December 2026, and Haenam County plans to continue communicating with participating funeral homes to gradually expand the proportion of reusable containers used.

A Haenam County official stated, "Funeral homes are representative spaces where the use of single-use products skyrockets in a short period of time. We will use this project as a catalyst to reduce waste and focus our administrative efforts so that an eco-friendly funeral culture can firmly take root in the local community."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.