[Let’s learn Korean culture] What is a volume-based disposal system in Korea?

쓰레기는 쓰레기봉투에 버려요
Dispose of your garbage in a garbage bag 
In Korea, they use a volume-based disposal system. This volume-based system is a system where garbage collection fees are based on the amount of waste. Therefore, when disposing garbage at home, one has to put it in a garbage bag. While it is different in each local area, one can buy garbage bags at a supermarket. There are 10 liter, 20 liter, and 50 liter, etc bags. Garbage that can be recycled is disposed of in separate recycling bins. Food waste is put into a food disposal bag, or in a designated place. Disposing garbage is complicated, but it is something that necessarily has to be done for the environment.

재활용을 해요
Let’s recycle 
Recycling means not disposing of products that you already used but rather repurposing them, or making new products and reusing them. People melt cans or plastic and then make different products, and wastepaper can be made into paper products or toilet paper, etc., or it is sometimes re-used. If we recycle in this way, we can reduce waste and not only preserve our resources but also lessen environmental pollution. As a result, it is important that garbage that can be recycled is sorted into  similar types and then thrown away. These days, food waste, which used to be difficult to recycle, is made into compost or animal feed. In addition to that, people try to reduce garbage and prevent environmental pollution constantly

(Image: Internet)

이 쓰레기를 어디에 버릴까요? 
Where should I trash this garbage? 
At present, there are not many trash-cans on the streets of Korea. If it is possible, do not trash your garbage, because when you throw away your garbage, you must first consider whether it is recyclable before trashing it. Putting garbage only in designated places is called “garbage separation discharge.” Waste sorting is separating between recyclable things that can be used again, and general waste that has to be eliminated. Specifically, for recyclable items, we do not trash them all in the same place, but we sort them out depending on the type of item, such as paper, plastic, bottle, and so on. Therefore, while throwing away garbage is a difficult issue in Korea, these things that we do ourselves are a good way to protect nature.
 

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