How to Dispose of Trash Properly in Korea한국에서 쓰레기 버리는 방법韓国での正しいゴミの捨て方
After you get settled into your cozy apartment you will have to figure out how the trash and recycling system works in Korea. In your home country you most likely paid a monthly fee and in return you put your trash out for pick up once a week. Well, you will be happy to know that in Seoul it’s not that different. However, since January 1, 1995 the Ministry of Environment introduced a “volume-based waste collection fee system,” where all households and commercial building owners were required to purchase specially designed plastic bags for waste collection. These bags are to be used specifically in one area and can vary slightly in price. If you can read Korean script the name of each area is usually written in ‘Hangul’ on the front of the bags. This is how it is in many Korean cities and through the purchase of these trash bags it pays for the trash removal service. The trash must be separate from the food waste as well as the recycling. These color coded trash bags are the only trash bags they will take away. You are not charged any fees for the removal of recycling items, only the trash and wet food waste through the purchase of the trash bags. Not only is this great for the environment, but if you consume less then you pay less because you won’t use as many bags. According to the Korean Ministry of Environment more than 40% of household solid wastes are being recycled. 
You can find these bags in a multitude of sizes such as 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75, and 100 liters. The colors can also be different depending on the area you live in. For example in Eunpyeong-gu an area in the northwest part of Seoul the regular trash bags are orange and the organic (food) bags are purple. Where as in Yongsan the white (light blue tone) bags are for trash and the yellow bags are for organic waste. Generally speaking you should only include food waste that an animal can eat. What is the organic food waste used for? A portion of the wet food waste is utilized to produce animal feed and fertilizers. According to the Journal of “Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology” some of this food waste is also put through an anaerobic digester located in Euiwang city and the produced biogas is utilized for the heating & cooling of adjacent buildings. It is important to check the specifics of the area where you live to determine the appropriate use of each bag. Also, in order to keep the city cleaner you’re only supposed to set them out on the street between the hours of 19:00 to 23:00. If you live in an apartment building there is usually a designated box or area to put your trash bags. In my apartment in Eunpyung-gu we had large recycling bins separating glass, plastic, metal, and paper and another bin for wet food waste. Knowing this could save you from getting scolded by your doorman or from paying a fine of W300,000 for not complying with the rules. Where can I purchase these colorful bags? The bags are sold at most local convenience stores or grocery stores. There is no shortage of convenience stores and the odds are there is a GS25, Buy the Way, Seven-Eleven, Family Mart, and/or Mini Stop located not too far away from you. In 2005 when I first came to Korea I went out on a mission to buy some of these colorful bags armed with body language and limited Korean vocabulary. I walked out of several convenience stores empty handed and puzzled. As it turns out many stores keep them behind the counter and you have to ask for them. So, here are some simple Korean phrases that might help you when you go buy trash bags. May I have the regular trash bag please? Sseulaegi Bongtu ju-se-yo? 쓰 레 기 봉 투 주세요? May I have the wet food trash bag please? Eum-shik-mool Sseulaegi Bongtu ju-se-yo? 음식물 쓰레기 봉투 주세요? Thank you! kam-sa-ham-ni-da! 감사합니다! That takes care of day to day living. What do you do when you move out of your apartment? What do you do with your furniture? It 2006 when I moved out of my home in Seodaemun-gu I needed to get rid of my bed and desk chair. If I were you I would first try to sell or give these items away to local Koreans or new expats. If transportation is a problem then you can have the item taken away for a small fee. Before I left Korea in 2006 I got rid of my bed and desk chair by walking to the local ‘dong’ office and buying a special sticker. I put the mattress on the curb with the sticker visibly stuck across it. A few days later it was taken away. The sticker might cost only a few thousand Won for a small item or over W15,000 for a larger item like a chair or bed. Again ask you local ‘dong’ office. By Kevin J. Brenneman
