The ministry ran a pilot project on multiuse parcel boxes from October 2021 to August this year, joining hands with local retailers and courier service providers. The companies employed multiuse parcel boxes for deliveries, retrieving them from customers to clean and use them again.

According to the ministry, the project showed multiuse parcel boxes cost 169 won ($0.12) more per delivery compared to an average delivery, but emitted 74.49 percent less carbon emissions and produced 99.3 percent less waste.

The Korea Waste Association also ran a survey involving 2,402 people. The survey showed that 82.6 percent of respondents said multiuse parcel boxes are more effective in the preservation of the products. However, only 34.8 percent said they would agree to a rise in product prices for multiuse parcel boxes, while 33.7 percent said they would agree to pay a deposit fee for multiuse parcel boxes.

Based on the studies, the ministry said it will come up with a standard guideline for multiuse delivery parcels in the first half of next year, enabling the expansion of the system in 2024.

It will additionally allocate a budget for the management of multiuse delivery parcel boxes, such as launching a facility to oversee their production, cleaning and distribution.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)