▲ A delivery worker (File Photo)
A dedicated organization will be established to conduct regular crackdowns on excessive delivery packaging.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced today that the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources. The amendment allows for the establishment of the "Product Packaging Management Support Center" under the Korea Environment Corporation, a dedicated body tasked with thoroughly inspecting compliance with delivery packaging regulations and notifying local governments of any violations.
The core of the current delivery packaging regulations is that the space ratio of single-use packaging must be 50 percent or less, and the number of packaging layers must be limited to one.
The "packaging space ratio" refers to the percentage of empty space remaining in a delivery box after the product is placed inside; a lower ratio indicates that a box tailored to the size of the product was used.
These regulations were first introduced in April 2024 and have been in effect since April of this year following a two-year grace period.
However, due to numerous exceptions and the fact that local governments—the entities responsible for enforcement—lack the administrative conditions and capacity to inspect every delivery, the regulations have been criticized for their lack of effectiveness.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.