Say goodbye to single-use plastics: Mapo-gu goes green

"Single-use plastics out — Mapo leads the way!"

The chant rang through the first-floor lobby of the Mapo-gu district office on Wednesday morning, drawing the attention of employees hurrying in for the day. Mapo-gu District Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun, senior district officials and staff from the sanitation administration division took center stage as eco-friendly advocates.

The "single-use plastics elimination campaign" held that day went beyond sloganeering. Staff participated in recycling-sorting quizzes and signed pledges, making the event an interactive exercise designed to highlight the importance of small everyday actions.

The campaign is part of a broader district plan to reduce household waste and build a sustainable, eco-friendly community. Mapo-gu has drawn up a dedicated action plan to phase out single-use items and promote a culture of reusable alternatives.

In-office campaign activities will continue every Wednesday through December, the designated intensive outreach period. The district also plans to extend the effort to traditional markets, where vendors and visitors will receive guidance on proper waste sorting and be encouraged to cut back on single-use items.

The year-round "single-use plastics-free district office" initiative is already well under way. The district broadcasts a daily announcement urging staff to avoid disposable items and use reusables instead, and notices banning single-use cups have been posted throughout the building.

Spot inspections are conducted regularly to enforce the ban on bringing in disposable items. Meetings inside the district office have also shifted to a paperless format, with staff using tablets and laptops in place of printed documents.

The district subsidizes the use of reusable containers at events and festivals in place of single-use alternatives. In 2026, it supported 16 events under the program, including the Mapo-naru Saeujeot Festival — the district's flagship annual festival — as well as various neighborhood festivals and sports competitions.

At traditional markets, customers who bring their own shopping bags or reusable containers receive vouchers exchangeable for standard waste bags. The program currently covers 87 stores at Mangwon Market and 50 stores at Mangwon-dong World Cup Market.

The district plans to consistently identify new ways to reduce single-use plastics and expand participation, ensuring the effort does not remain a one-off campaign.

"Cutting back on single-use plastics is not about accepting inconvenience — it is about gradually changing our lifestyle habits," District Mayor Yoo said. "Mapo-gu will lead the way so that small actions become natural everyday habits, and we will work together with residents to build a clean and sustainable Mapo."