Recycling and rubbish rules in Korea: bags, food waste and large items explained

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Throwing away rubbish in Korea is more involved than in most countries, and getting it wrong can mean a note from your building manager or a fine. The good news is that the system is logical once explained. The one thing to remember is that the details are set by your local district (gu or gun), so use this guide for the general shape and check your own district's rules for days, times and colours.

General waste: volume-based bags (jongnyangje)

Ordinary rubbish that cannot be recycled goes into official volume-based waste bags, known as jongnyangje bongtu (종량제 봉투). The cost of disposal is built into the price of the bag, so the more you throw away, the more you pay.

Buy them at convenience stores, supermarkets and small marts near your home. Ask for 종량제 봉투 and say the size in litres.
Bags are specific to your district. A bag bought in one gu is not valid in another, so buy where you live.
Only general waste goes in: tissues, dirty packaging that cannot be cleaned, broken small items and so on.
Tie the bag and put it out at the designated spot at the designated time. In apartment complexes there is usually a collection area; in villas and houses it is often the kerb outside, in the evening.

Rubbish in an ordinary plastic bag will usually be left uncollected, and it may be traced back to you.

Food waste

Food waste is collected separately and turned into feed, compost or energy. Depending on where you live, you use one of these:

Food waste bags: small, district-specific bags sold in the same shops as general bags.
Shared bins with stickers or tokens: you buy a sticker or chip for your building's bin.
RFID bins: common in apartment complexes. You tap a card on the machine, drop the waste in, and the weight is charged to your household. Ask the management office for a card when you move in.

What counts as food waste is narrower than you might think. The test is whether an animal could eat it. Bones, shells (crab, shellfish, eggs), hard fruit stones, onion skins, tea bags and coffee grounds generally go in general waste, not food waste. Drain liquids and remove packaging first.

Recycling categories

Recycling is free but must be sorted, clean and dry. Most buildings have separate bins or bags for:

Paper and cardboard: flatten boxes and remove tape and labels.
Plastics: rinse containers. Many areas ask for clear PET drink bottles to be kept separate from other plastics, with labels removed and the bottle squashed.
Vinyl and plastic film: wrappers, bags and soft packaging, clean.
Cans and metal: rinse and crush where possible.
Glass bottles: rinse; some bottles carry a deposit you can reclaim at shops.
Styrofoam: clean, with tape and stickers removed.
Batteries, light bulbs and old clothes: special collection boxes, often in apartment complexes or at the community centre.

Containers with food stuck to them count as general waste if they cannot be cleaned.

Large items (daehyeong pyegimul)

Furniture, appliances, mattresses and other large items need a disposal report and fee. Depending on your district you can:

Buy a sticker at the community centre (jumin centre) or some convenience stores and attach it to the item.
Report the item online through the district website and print or write down the report number.
Use an app or service your district has adopted, often with QR codes.

Some appliances can be collected free through a national appliance take-back service, especially when you buy a new one. Ask your management office which option your area uses.

Fines

Putting rubbish out in the wrong bag, on the wrong day or unsorted can lead to a fine from the district. Many areas have cameras at collection points. Fines vary by district and offence, so the simplest protection is to follow your building's schedule exactly.

How to find your own rules

Ask your building manager or the security office. In apartments they know the schedule and will often show you.
Look for the poster near the collection area, often with pictures.
Search your district's website for 분리배출 (recycling) or 생활쓰레기 배출 (household waste). Many have English guides.
Ask a neighbour. People are usually glad to help someone who is trying.

What caught you out when you first moved here, or what does your district do differently? Share your tips and questions in the comments.