ingle-use toiletries ban poses challenge for hotels

• Published date: 01 March 2023
• Publication title: The Korea Times

The nation will introduce new environmental regulations that will put a stop to single-use items in large-size hotels and other commercial lodgings to reduce waste.

But the plan is already facing a backlash as the convenience of such items is one of the reasons people use such facilities, especially those providing luxury brand sample products.

The National Assembly passed a revision bill for the Resource Recycling Act so as to ban the provision of single-use products at hotels with 50 or more rooms on Monday. Previously the law was applied to restaurants and large-size supermarkets.

The revised rule is expected to be put into effect within two years.

Under the new regulation, hotels with 50 or more rooms can no longer provide single-use toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and body cleanser. To some customers, the items have been one of the key factors in deciding which hotel to stay at, because some hotels provided products of high-end brands, attracting lodgers interested in using or taking them home.

The new measure, however, is not welcomed by all.

Some people are expressing concerns over hygiene since guests will have to use the same shampoo or body cleanser dispensers. At hotels that have already adopted such dispensers, some guests went as far as to steal the dispensers.

Other hotel employees say some lodgers particularly requested single-use...