* Recycling*

South Korea is extremely mindful about recycling, to the point where there have been some rumors of harsh fines! So stay out of trouble and recycle your waste :)

It's really easy here, you just need to buy the special bags from all supermarkets (Emart, Lotte Mart, Home Plus) and most groceries stores...they cost about W6 000 for a pack of 20 and come in loads of different sizes.
*NB* Make sure to get the bags for YOUR area, as there are separate bags for each district. Here are some pics of the green recycling bags for the district I stay in, Yuseoung:





Thank you Sharon from Life in Korea for the following info:

General waste refers to waste matters exclusive of food waste, reusable waste, and large waste matters such as furniture while food waste refers to waste which can be fed to animals is considered food waste. Hard matters such as bones, hard shells etc., are not classified as food waste.



Food waste category

Fruits    Hard shells such as shells of walnuts, chestnuts, peanuts, acorns, coconuts, pineapples, coconut palms, Seeds of drupes such as peaches, apricots, persimmons

Meats   Bones and feathers

Seafood Shells of clam, turban shell, abalone, ark shell, sea squirt, oyster, crawfish, lobster, etc.

           Internal organs of globe fish

Others  Tea bags, grounds of herbal medicine



- Remove moist and non-acceptable items (vinyl, bones, shells)and put it in thewaste bag

- Do not include highly toxic matters, such as eggs of globe fish, onion peels, pepper paste



How to discharge general waste



- Fill the garbage bags with a declared amount; and tie the bag twice in the shape of a cross(+

- Double check the district specified on the garbage bag (Different districts use different bags)

- Discharge waste after sunset on collection day

- Inquire at the district office for designated collection days

As for recycling, separate recycling waste by type:




Items
Reyclable Items
Non-Recyclable Items
Paper
Newspapers, books, notes, wrapping paper, corrugated cardboard, paper bags, paper boxes, items indicated
Plastic coated paper bags, Plastic coated paper cups
Glass
Beer bottles, liquor bottles, soda beverage bottles, items indicated
Sheet glass, mirrors, heatproof tableware, milk-white bottles, cosmetic bottles, ceramic wares
Metals
Beverage cans, spray cans, butane gas containers, aluminum, stainless utensils, steel tools, iron wire, items indicated as
Paint containers, oil containers, or containers of noxious materials
Styrofoam
Safety packages for household electrical appliances, etc., delivery containers for fresh fish or fruit, clean instant noodle containers
Disposable dishes
Plastics
Items indicated as ‘PET’, ‘HIPE’, ‘LDPE’, ‘PP’, ‘PS’, ‘PVC’, or ‘OTHER’
Writing implements, buttons, sockets, toys, baby-walkers, disposable cameras, electric heaters
Milk Cartons
Milk Cartons
-
Fluorescent Lamps
Unbroken fluorescent lamps or bulbs
Broken fluorescent lamps or bulbs
Plastic Bags
Plastic bags (white, black, etc.)
Instant noodle packages, contaminated plastic bags
Batteries
-
Dispose of at the designated area indicated by each neighborhood office