South Korea recycles close to 100% of its food waste annually, a stark contrast to the United States where most food waste ends up in landfills. The Asian country's success stems from a mandatory composting scheme introduced in 2013, which requires residents to use special yellow plastic bags for their uneaten food.
Seoul resident Hwang Ae-soon, 69, buys a 10-piece bundle of these bags every few months. A 3-liter bag costs 300 won (about 20 cents). In her district, curbside pickup occurs daily except Saturday. Residents must squeeze out moisture before placing the bag in a designated bin after sunset.
The system has evolved since the late 1990s when landfills in the crowded capital area neared capacity. The government banned burying organic waste in 2005 and dumping leachate into the ocean in 2013. Universal curbside composting was implemented that same year, mandating separation of food from general waste.
Collected food waste is processed into biogas, animal feed, or fertilizer. Some municipalities use automated collectors in apartment complexes, where residents swipe a card to pay weight-based fees. In 1996, only 2.6% of food waste was recycled; today, it is nearly 100%.
Waste expert Hong Su-yeol attributes success to ease of use and frequent collection. He notes that revenue from bag sales helps defray transportation costs, acting as a pay-as-you-throw tax. In Hwang's district, bag fees cover about 35% of annual costs. Hong warns against making fees too high to avoid illegal dumping.
The United States, where food waste is the third largest source of methane, is beginning to follow suit. California's Senate bill 1383 mandates separated food waste collection, aiming for a 75% reduction in landfilled organic waste by 2025. New York City recently introduced its first borough-wide universal curbside composting program in Queens.
