The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) and the Citizens’ Green Seoul Committee carried out a citywide waste reduction campaign that promoted sustainability such as zero waste and package-free consumption with 303 members of the 2050 Carbon Neutral Civic Action Group for three months from June to September, which resulted in a thirty-five-percent reduction in household waste.

The SMG and the Committee carried out this campaign with voluntary participation by originally 342 citizens and ultimately 303 from 24 districts of the Group comprising members of civic organizations and advocacy groups that are actively promoting awareness on carbon neutrality across the 25 districts.

Participants measured and recorded the amount of their weekly household waste using digital scales and submitted the results to their local district, and the SMG and the Committee then collected the data for submission to the National Council of the Green Consumers Network for analysis.

According to analysis by the Council, which oversaw the campaign, items of household waste reduction from highest to lowest were disposable spoons (50.8%), general waste (35.2%), plastics (23.2%), and styrofoam (14.6%).

Upon further analysis, 94 participants said that they used reusable shopping bags and 64 said that they refrained from ordering food via delivery. Other methods of waste reduction included using personal tumblers and reusable containers as well as reusing plastic bags and purchasing in small quantities. Some said they drank boiled water instead of buying bottled water and even refused to purchase disposables and overpackaged products.

The city plans to expand the campaign by encouraging participation from single-person households, young consumers and the general public to discover more ways of reducing household waste, and eventually publish guidebooks and online content.