Korea has long been separating and disposing of garbage to protect the environment. As we have steadily strengthened the separate waste disposal system, we are actively encouraging separate discharge. This is an important effort to reduce the burden on the natural environment by promoting recycling and reproduction of resources and reducing the amount of waste.
So, do you know how to dispose of garbage in Korea? Shall we find out together through this post?
Garbage commonly used in Korea is divided into three types.
General Garbage: This includes household waste from everyday life. This means that this general waste is not separated into recycling or food waste.
Food waste: This includes food crumbs, vegetable and fruit peels, and leftovers, mainly from the kitchen. Food waste is not recycled and must be disposed of in pay-as-you-go bags or designated food waste disposal containers.
Recyclable waste: Garbage made of recyclable materials such as paper, plastic, metal, and glass. This recycling waste is collected through separate collection and can be reproduced into new products through the recycling process. In Korea, there are separate collection boxes for recycling and designated collection days, so citizens can separate and dispose of recyclable waste.
In Korea, when you throw away garbage, you have to put it in a bag that is prescribed according to the type and throw it away at a designated place. If the garbage does not meet the regulations, you can purchase the corresponding garbage bag at a nearby mart or convenience store. You can also purchase items you need while studying abroad at affordable prices at second-hand markets and stores. Used goods markets are also commonly referred to as 'flea markets'. These days, there are many online used goods stores, so you can use it conveniently. The carrot market is the most useful.
However, the envelopes used differ depending on the region where you live, so you must use the envelopes in your region.
Even in the case of food waste, it is treated differently depending on the type of house. Detached houses or multi-family houses use special bags to dispose of food waste, and apartments use separate collection bins to dispose of food waste.
Also, recyclables must be separated and disposed of separately. Paper, bottles, scrap metal, cans, and vinyl are items that can be recycled. Beverage bottles or cans should be discarded after drying all the water inside and reducing the volume.
If large-sized garbage is bulky, such as furniture or electronic products, you must purchase and attach a discharge sticker at a community center or designated sales office and put it out in a designated area. The trash will then be collected. If you have furniture that is in good condition or electronics that are not broken, don't throw it away, you can put it on the flea market and sell it to someone who needs it.
