A household waste disposal site in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A household waste disposal site in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

Seoul's ongoing effort to reduce household waste across its districts is showing measurable results. Daily household waste generation fell by an average of 63 tons compared with the same period last year — more than double the reduction recorded in the first assessment — while public recyclable collection rose by an average of 55 tons per day over the same period.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government conducted its first performance review of district-level waste reduction in May as part of a citywide household waste reduction project. That initial assessment found daily household waste had dropped by 29 tons.

The second review, covering the two-month period from April through May, was announced Sunday. While the evaluation criteria remained the same as in the first round, the city adjusted the scoring to place greater weight on actual reduction and recycling outcomes, shifting away from the first round's emphasis on publicity and education.

A total of nine districts will receive incentives worth 1 billion won under the second review. The top-ranked district will receive 300 million won, three runner-up districts will each receive 100 million won, and five districts receiving encouragement awards will each get 80 million won. Four districts entered the awards pool for the first time, signaling that district-led reduction efforts and public participation are gaining momentum.

Several districts stood out for tailored initiatives. Gwangjin-gu distributed recycling bags and waste-sorting guides to newly arrived single-person households to help them settle in, while Gwanak-gu produced multilingual guides — in English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese and Mongolian — to lower barriers for foreign residents. Gangdong-gu contributed to a broader recycling culture by installing dedicated recycling collection hubs.

The city will conduct a third comprehensive review incorporating cumulative results through this month. Through that assessment, Seoul plans to examine reduction and recycling outcomes in greater detail, share best practices across districts and accelerate citywide waste reduction.

Yoon Jae-sam, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Climate and Environment Bureau, said the city would "continue to improve the relevant systems and infrastructure alongside residents so that reducing household waste in daily life can take firm root."


ikson@heraldcorp.com