In Korea, all households and offices are charged according to the amount of waste they produce through a volume-based waste fee system. And garbage can only be dumped at designated areas. It is necessary to know how to dispose of waste in Korea because there are different rules in disposing waste according to waste type such as general waste, food waste, large items, recyclables and so on. Any violation of these rules can be subject to punishment such as a negligence fine. For more information contact your local City, County, or District Government Office or Dong Office.

General Waste

General household waste must be placed in designated garbage bags.

Purchasing garbage bags

Garbage bags must be purchased at locations designated by the local city, county, or district government. In most cases, garbage bags can be purchased at a nearby supermarket or convenience store, but in rural areas they are also sold at the residence of the head of the village. Shops that sell garbage bags are easily noticeable because they hang a sign with the environment symbol of the Ministry of Environment at the entrance.

Sizes Garbage bags come in a total of 8 sizes (3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50, 75, and 100ℓ), but many stores do not carry 3ℓand 5ℓbags because there is no demand for these sizes.   When to take out the garbage In most cases, garbage bags are left at designated areas for collection after sunset (20:00) for sanitary and aesthetic reasons. However, each jurisdiction has its own designated time for disposal.

General Waste

Food Waste must be placed in designated garbage bags as well after removing as much moisture as possible. Garbage bags for food waste are sold at the same shops that sell garbage bags for general waste. In some jurisdictions, a separate dumpster is placed at the designated disposal area to collect food waste. In this case, the food waste is not put into a separate garbage bag,but dumped into the container directly for collection early each morning.

Sizes Food waste garbage bags come in a total of 4 sizes (1, 2, 3, and 5ℓ).

Recyclables

Recyclable items in Korea are paper, glass, plastics, aluminum, and metals. In most cases, recyclables are collected once aweek on a designated day. Each jurisdiction has its own collection rules and schedules, so the most sure way to find out about disposing recyclables is to ask a neighbor.

Recyclables

Items that are too big to fit in garbage bags such as old refrigerators, furniture, or electronics are classified as large waste items. These items require special handling, so before disposal, visit your local Dong office or designated garbage bag sales location to acquire a disposal sticker. Items with a disposal sticker attached will be accepted for disposal. Another way to dispose of large items is to call in a professional waste management company to come and collect the item. Each jurisdiction has its own specific rules of disposal, so it is always wise to check with a neighbor or the local Dong office for exact disposal procedures.