How South Korea Puts Its Food Scraps to Good Use (2024)

FAQs

How South Korea Puts Its Food Scraps to Good Use? ›

South Korea banned food scraps from its landfills almost 20 years ago. Now the vast majority of it gets turned into animal feed, fertilizer and fuel for heating homes.

Jongnyangje (Hangul: 종량제) is an organised waste management system for the effective collection and reuse of waste and resources in South Korea. All waste must be separated into general waste, food waste, recyclable items, or bulky items.

Much of South Korea's trash is recycled as well. Recycling centers are located throughout the country, and waste management companies do a great job regarding general waste collection. South Korea has a very effective system for handling waste and trash.

South Korean waste disposal policy (known as "jongnyangje") operates under the Ministry of Environment. Waste is required to be separated into four parts: landfill waste, organic waste, recyclable waste, and large waste items. Recyclable waste such as: paper, plastics and glass, should be separated before disposal.

In Korea, to dispose of food wastes, there is a small fee. Most small residences will use a dedicated food waste plastic bag that you can buy at the local convenience store or supermarket. These bags can be bought in sizes ranging from 1 L to 100 L (70 to 7000 Won).

Food waste is heavy from its high moisture content, which makes transportation expensive. In South Korea, the revenue from the yellow bags is collected by the district government to help defray the costs of this process, in effect working as a pay-as-you-throw tax.

Germany has the highest recycling rate in the world. The nation recycles an impressive 66.1% of its waste. How did it become the world's best recycler? The key has been no-nonsense government policy and German citizens getting on board.

At the bottom of the list are Turkey and Chile, which each recycle an abysmal 1% of total waste, according to the report. They are also the only countries to have become worse at recycling since 2000, with 33% and 78% declines, respectively. In Turkey, waste management is not a priority issue.

South Korea used to recycle just 2% of its food waste, but has since impressively brought this figure up to 95%. How? The country has tapped innovative technologies such as smart bins and bolstering local food production by setting up urban farms, as well as introducing compulsory household food waste recycling.

In Korea, no one lives in an unimproved sanitation area and 515,722 people, 1.0% of the total population, live in areas with improved sanitation facilities excluding sewer connections. In mega-cities, the sewage treatment rate was 100% and Gyeongsangbuk-do had the lowest rate of 93.8%.

How is South Korea eco friendly? ›

Between 52% and 56% of their municipal waste is recycled, making them the third best country in the world at recycling. They are also on the top of food waste recycling, and around 95% of their food waste is recycled (Twenty years ago, they only recycled 2%!)

📎Residential Waste Disposal

We have a “Volume rate Garbage Disposal System” here in Korea, which bears the expense of waste treatment as much as the trash each takes out. It aims to reduce waste by charging people to pay as they throw and leading them to separate and send out the recyclable waste.

Plastic consumption in South Korea is steadily increasing. In modern Korean society, where everything is busy and a convenience-oriented lifestyle is pursued by many, people tend to use more single-use plastic items. In fact, plastic consumption in South Korea is significantly higher than most countries.

3 Don't Flush Your Toilet Paper

If you flush your toilet paper in South Korea, you risk clogging the toilet. The best practice is to throw your used paper in the trash bin which will be provided near the toilet.

The French not only appreciate food, they're committed to not wasting it. In fact, it's the law. Since 2016, large grocery stores have been banned from throwing away unsold food that could be donated to charities.

Tipping is not required nor expected in Korea. But most major hotels add a compulsory 10% service charge to bills. This is on top of the 10% VAT (which is usually included in prices at most stores in Korea, but not in some high-end restaurants).

Food waste produced annually in selected countries worldwide 2020. China and India produce more household food waste than any other country worldwide at an estimated 92 million and 69 million metric tons every year, respectively.

Like any country, Korea has food which is unhealthy (high in fat, salt, or calories) and best eaten as a treat. There are also foods to be avoided completely if you are on a healthy eating diet. These are foods that you should avoid eating too often:Korean fried chicken.

South Korea created its Waste Management Law in 1986, a practical step to achieving a no-waste country. The law focused on reducing the millions of tonnes of waste dumped at landfills. To reduce the high quantities of plastic in the garbage, the government banned the use of disposable plastic bags and containers.

Which country in the world sent 99% of the waste for recycling? ›

In fact, Swedish recycling is so efficient, that they ran out of trash. The recycling rate in Sweden is almost 99 percent and has been for many years.

Sweden recycles an astonishing 99 percent of its locally produced waste, thanks to its citizens' concern for the environment and sophisticated collection techniques. The percentage of household waste recycled has increased from 38 percent in 1975 to at least 99 percent as of 2019.

The U.S. ranks quite low when compared to the rest of the world in recycling percentage. Of the major countries that track recycling data, the United States is ranked number 25 out of 32. This ranking is determined by the total amount of waste each country recycles.

No other country is drowning in waste as much as the US

Most waste is generated in the United States. Each US citizen currently produces 811kg of waste, and around half of that ends up in landfill. Meanwhile just 95kg of that are incinerated. US citizens produce two kilograms more waste today than they did in 2019.

San Francisco, US

In the US, San Francisco is the king of recycling — with the city diverting 80% of its discarded waste from landfills since 2013.

The imported food market in South Korea is diverse, with a wide range of products being imported from countries worldwide. Some of the most popular imported foods in South Korea include fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat products, seafood, and beverages.

Its recycling and composting rate is 60 percent, one of the highest in the world, according to the World Bank. By 2030, South Korea aims to reduce its plastic waste by 50 percent and recycle 70 percent of it.

Multiple studies show that most of South Korea's pollution comes from China because of the spread of yellow dust produced by China's factories and coal-fired power plants. China causes 30 to 50 percent of the PM_2.5 in South Korea on days of average air quality, but 60 to 80 percent on days with the worst air quality.

Toilet Paper in Korea

Other than throwing used toilet paper in a garbage can instead of flushing; there are some more things that might surprise you. Some Korean bathrooms will have toilet paper outside the stalls. Some even have it outside the bathroom. And some just won't have any!

Korean public toilets usually have toilet paper in the stall, but now always. The toilet paper in some restrooms in Korea may be placed outside of the stall in the main area in a large dispenser. You are expected to take as much toilet paper as you think you'll need and bring it into the stall with you.

Do people drink tap water in South Korea? ›

While tap water in Korea is 100 percent safe to drink, most Koreans don't drink it unless they boil or filter it, first. When visiting or living in South Korea, you don't have to doctor the water before drinking it. But if you fill up a glass straight from the tap in front of a Korean, be ready for some side-eye.

Forests and erosion. Over the centuries, Korea's inhabitants have cut down most of the ancient Korean forests, with the exception of a few remote, mountainous areas. The disappearance of the forests has been a major cause of soil erosion and flooding.

South Korea took several steps, notably the 2005 ban on landfilling food waste, to raise awareness and take concrete action. Following the ban, a 2013 legislation introduced specific bins for food waste to be discharged in, using only biodegradable bags.

Thinking of relocating to South Korea? With an easy way of life, bustling city culture mixed with laidback countryside, and a reasonable cost of living, The Land of the Morning Calm is a popular destination for foreigners from across the globe. When moving to South Korea, there are many practicalities to consider.

There are several clean public restrooms, and although some people usually think that public restrooms are not so clean, the case is really different in Korea. All of the public restrooms I have encountered in Korea were clean and decent.

The Cheonggyecheon Sewage Treatment Plant was completed in 1976, and the sewer system continued to expand throughout the 1970s, with 62% of the city sewered by the end of the decade. In 1990, Seoul instituted a sewerage use fee to help pay for the infrastructure.

Are you indifferent to littering?" Most countries, including Korea, have a law against littering and consider the act a criminal offense.

From protein to carbs to fat, a healthy Korean diet consists of all, but in a well-balanced form. Besides, Koreans are also very particular about portion sizes. They avoid overeating and also incorporate physical activity in their day-to-day routine.

Reasons for poverty

First, public social spending in South Korea is low. Social spending by the government in South Korea was 7.6% of GDP in 2007, compared to the OECD average of 19%. This can be explained by the Korean traditional reliance on family and the private sector to provide such services.

Aside from the enjoyment and high spirits that Koreans desire from partaking in frequent drinking, many employees consume alcohol to help alleviate high amounts of stress.

How often do South Koreans shower? ›

No, Koreans took baths everyday during the winter During the Goryeo, And twice every day during the Summer. And that was back in the historical times. Now with better heating and convenient bathing, there is no reason for a Korean to not take a bath everyday. Koreans think bathing is a pleasure, not a task.

Korean toilets are notorious for their unique features such as bidets and air drying functions. Often seen as both odd and fascinating, such toilets are very common in South Korea, installed in hotels and many households.

Grocery Store Food Waste

About 30 percent of food in American grocery stores is thrown away. US retail stores generate about 16 billion pounds of food waste every year. Wasted food from the retail sector is valued at about twice the amount of profit from food sales.

Coffee-mate, RITZ Crackers and those warm, buttery Pillsbury biscuits, are all banned in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway and Denmark because of trans fats like partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils.

It's advisable to put your utensils back on the table once you're finished with your meal to indicate that you're done, although many Koreans also leave them on top of their plates or inside the bowl, provided that it's empty.

Tipping is not customary in South Korea and can sometimes be offensive and some people may return the tip. No one in the service industry expects a tip although the tipping culture is slowly changing. Currency: Can I pay in U.S. dollars, or should I use Won (₩ or KRW)?

As in many other cultures, pointing at someone with your index finger is considered extremely rude in Korea, mostly because it is associated with blaming someone for their actions or pointing out their mistakes. However, gesturing towards someone with one's whole palm upturned is considered respectful.

How does South Korea deal with plastic waste? Historical data shows thataround 62 percent of plastic waste generated in South Korea were recycled as energy or materials. Generally, household plastic waste items are small in size and not properly separated, so they are often sent to landfill or incinerated.

End-2020, Korea has set a target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and adopted the Carbon Neutral Strategy that aims at increasing the share of renewable energy sources, gradually phasing out coal, significantly improving energy efficiency, and fostering the country's nascent hydrogen industry (IEA, 2021).

How eco friendly is South Korea? ›

Between 52% and 56% of their municipal waste is recycled, making them the third best country in the world at recycling. They are also on the top of food waste recycling, and around 95% of their food waste is recycled (Twenty years ago, they only recycled 2%!) This was made possible by the implementation of new laws.

World's top 10 ocean plastic contributors

Based on a study by Science Advances in 2021, the Philippines is the leading country on the list of top 10 ocean plastic contributors – generating an estimated 356,371 MT of plastic waste in our ocean.

If we're looking at the countries that are responsible for the highest amount of plastic production, China tops the list. China is responsible for 32% of global plastic materials production in 2021, making it the world number one plastic producer by far.

Rwanda. Rwanda became the world's first 'plastic-free' nation in 2009, 10 years after it introduced a ban on all plastic bags and plastic packaging. Anyone who is caught with a plastic item faces a jail sentence of up to six months.

3 Don't Flush Your Toilet Paper

If you flush your toilet paper in South Korea, you risk clogging the toilet. The best practice is to throw your used paper in the trash bin which will be provided near the toilet.

Korean public restrooms mostly have flush toilets with a seat and flush (handle or button) in a stall. For male restrooms, urinals are the same as you'll find in other countries. Some public toilets may have electronic bidets, but these are usually reserved for disabled toilets and some wealthier areas.

While the Republic of Korea (South Korea) broadly respects the rights of its citizens, there are significant human rights concerns, especially regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, women, migrants, racial minorities, older people, and people with disabilities.

Thinking of relocating to South Korea? With an easy way of life, bustling city culture mixed with laidback countryside, and a reasonable cost of living, The Land of the Morning Calm is a popular destination for foreigners from across the globe. When moving to South Korea, there are many practicalities to consider.

The final country in the 2023 top ten, Iceland ranks first in the world in terms of overall Environmental Health, an umbrella category made up of indicators such as Air Quality, PM2. 5 (which measures particulate air pollution), Ozone, Sanitation, Drinking Water, Waste Management, Recycling, Lead, and more.

According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2022, about 44.9 percent of the respondents answered that they felt stress in general life during the past two weeks.