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Seoul cuts daily trash by 29 tons as recycling drive gains traction
A promotional poster for the Seoul Metropolitan Government's waste reduction campaign / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Lee Kyung-min
Seoul residents are throwing away less and recycling more, offering an early sign that an ambitious campaign to shrink household waste in one of the world’s most densely populated capitals may be starting to work.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said a two-month evaluation of its “10 Million Citizens Waste Diet Project” found that daily household waste dropped by 29 tons compared with the same period last year, while recyclable waste collection increased by 60 tons a day.
The assessment covered all 25 district offices across the city from February through March and measured performance in four categories: household waste reduction, recycling increases, citizen participation and district-specific initiatives.
City officials said the results reflected a growing shift in public behavior as local governments experimented with tailored recycling programs and waste-cutting campaigns.
In Eunpyeong District, officials reduced trash generated at festivals and public events by introducing reusable tableware systems operated by specialty vendors. Yeongdeungpo District created a separate reporting and disposal system for small electronics that had previously been discarded in standard trash bags.
Seongdong District collected 48,400 disposable beverage cups through dedicated collection bins, while Seongbuk District drew about 1,100 participants to its “Resource Circulation Day Shop,” where residents exchanged recyclables for standard garbage bags.
The city also said participation in its public pledge campaign encouraging residents to reduce waste surpassed expectations. More than 109,838 citizens joined the initiative, exceeding the city’s target of 100,000 participants.
District offices conducted 3,416 educational programs and public awareness campaigns during the evaluation period, according to the city.
Seoul officials said additional evaluations would follow later this year, with stronger emphasis placed on measurable reductions in waste and improvements in recycling performance.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.