Seoul slashes household waste by 29 tons daily with bold recycling push
Seoul has cut down on household waste while boosting recycling efforts across the city. Recent figures show a drop of 29 tons per day in general waste during early 2022 compared to the previous year. At the same time, recycling collections rose by 60 tons daily in the same period. Several districts have rolled out new schemes to tackle waste. In August 2021, Seongdong District placed mobile bins in Seongsu-dong to collect disposable cups, gathering between 3,000 to 4,000 cups each weekend day. Yeongdeungpo District also offers free pickups for small home appliances under 12 kilograms.
Eunpyeong District took a different approach in July 2021 by introducing reusable tableware at Mount Aengbong Family Campground. Visitors can borrow stainless steel bowls, plates, cups, and cutlery, which are then professionally cleaned and sterilised before reuse. The city now plans to fund local waste reduction projects with 1 billion won ($6.84 million) to support further initiatives.
The combined efforts have led to measurable results, with less waste ending up in landfills and more materials being recycled. Seoul’s financial backing for local projects aims to encourage even greater reductions in disposable waste across the city.
