South Korean officials reassure public over plastic waste bag supply, citing ample recycled materials and contingency plans amid Middle East war concerns

SEOUL: South Korea’s energy minister has moved to calm public fears over potential shortages of plastic rubbish bags. Sales of the bags in Seoul surged nearly fivefold last week due to energy supply concerns sparked by the Middle East conflict.

The Seoul city government reported daily sales jumped to 2.7 million. Major retailers have since imposed purchase limits on the special bags required for household trash disposal.

“There is no need to worry about the supply of standard garbage bags,” Energy Minister Kim Sung-whan said on social media. He stated there is ample capacity to use recycled raw materials, ensuring no supply issues for over a year.

The minister also promised there would be no price hike for the bags. He outlined a contingency plan allowing general plastic bags to be used as waste bags in a worst-case scenario.

“You will never be in a situation where you are forced to store garbage at home,” Kim assured the public.

Most of South Korea’s oil imports transit the Strait of Hormuz. The vital waterway has been effectively shut by Iran since attacks by the United States and Israel began on February 28.

The disruption prompted the government to introduce caps on fuel prices, a first since 1997. A “wartime” supplementary budget worth 25 trillion won (USD 16.5 billion) has also been prepared.

Authorities have urged citizens to save energy through various measures. These include taking shorter showers, walking or cycling more, and charging mobile phones during daytime hours.

 The Sun Malaysia