The regulation on the use of disposable products in stores was implemented once in August 2018. Due to COVID-19, its implementation was suspended and then implemented again from April 1st this year. These are some of the bills of ‘Restriction on the Use of Disposable Products’ revised this year: Prohibition of the Use of about 18 disposable items in foodservice stores, Disposable Cup Deposit System, Expansion of disposable items and target industries.
  In line with this trend, Good Attitude, a team composed of Chungbuk National University students, is promoting the ‘Use Reusable Cups’ project at the campus café. The project will be implemented as of May this year. It is planned and carried out by Good Attitude, which is interested in the environment and wants to take the lead in preserving the environment. To hear more details about this, CBT reporters met Song Chae-i, in Dept. of Chinese Language and Literature, who oversees the overall planning and front desk of the project at Good Attitude.

Q. Why did you start this project?
  I have always been interested and concerned about the environment, so I’ve been thinking about how to alert people to environmental destruction. Then, a student from Dept. of International Business was offered a chance to work together on the ‘Use Reusable Cups’ project as a graduation capstone design, so I jumped at the opportunity to participate. We got the idea from the company Trash Busters,’ which is working on reusable containers.

Q. How are you going to proceed with the ‘Use Reusable Cups’ project?
  While researching this, we found that a social company ‘Cross Set’ has set up a dishwashing facility to facilitate the use of reusable cups at some cafés in Cheongju. Since it’s our first project, we don’t have enough information and experience, so we consulted with the CEO of ‘Cross,’ and he willingly set up a dishwashing room for us. We received the prize money from the previous contest and currently raised an additional 10 million KRW ($8,000). We are planning to use it to make cups, and we are discussing creating an application if we can afford it. The ‘Using Reusable Cups System’ is a method of washing and continuing to use the cup, so there is the hassle of having to return it. However, the university is expected to help carry out this project because it is willing to make space available to install return machines. Considering the practical aspects, it would be difficult to target cafés in Cheongju, so we decided to start it at the campus café named COOBNU. We have signed an MoU, and we will start this project with 50 reusable cups in time for the opening of the 5th COOBNU in the sports center. We have not been able to accurately estimate the frequency of students’ use of cafés because of online classes over the last two years. Therefore, based on the cup usage statistics for March and April, we set the number of cups. If students use the cups and return them to the cup collectors installed at the school, we will deliver them to the dishwashing room and return them to COOBNU daily.

Q. Do you have any concerns about the project?
  First, the biggest problem is that we don’t have enough workers to proceed with the project. For example, it is very difficult for team members to take turns dropping cups in the dishwashing room every day. We are going to ask the school to help hire someone to be in charge of collecting cups from the collection boxes and leaving them in the dishwashing room, but it is not easy to do.
  We are worried about the success of the project because the reusable cup system is not promoted efficiently to students. Also, we have to create an eye-catching return box with an interesting design spoiling the beauty of circumstance In addition, we are planning to design and create containers for students to conveniently discard their leftover drinks.

Q. Sanitation is the most worrisome part when using reusable cups. What is your opinion about this?
  We are going to make the cups from pp material which is the same material used to make baby bottles. It is resistant to heat, has a sterilizing effect, and above all, the material itself is eco-friendly. The cleaning room will undergo the same in-process inspection as the actual reusable cups cleaning room. We will return the cups after carefully washing and drying them, so there will be no problem with sanitation. Also, the dishwashing facility has been determined not to exceed the pollution level specified by the Ministry of Environment.

Q. What efforts do you think are needed to get people to use reusable cups?
  For the business to go well, I think there must be an element that attracts people’s attention. First, I thought about boosting the level of participation by creating cups that students like a lot. However, there was a sanitation problem when we tried to use a patterned cup, and when we considered printing our school mascot, Wu Wang-i, on it, the cost became prohibitive in terms of our current budget.  I also thought about putting on stickers that change color depending on the temperature, but they are unattractive and make the cups sticky when removed.
  Moreover, I thought about using an app instead of the coupon that COOBNU currently uses. The advantage is that it leads to using reusable cups, so I thought it would be easier to collect data and help the business progress. However, it is difficult to connect the app with the COOBNU kiosk. Also, there are concerns that students’ personal information can be exposed. We considered discounting the price, but we are discussing other options. After all, it is a sensitive part because it is linked to the sales of the cooperative.

Q. Is there any effect or change you expect from the business?
  This project was tried several times at other schools, but it failed. Therefore, our goal is to become a model school for using reusable cups. Furthermore, the goal is to create an environmentally conscious city of Cheongju by introducing it to cafes in downtown Cheongju, and reducing the use of disposable products not only in cafés but also in daily life. I hope that students will participate in the business and the use of disposable products will be reduced drastically in the near future.

By Kim Ji-min l jimin41@cbnu.ac.kr