Korean Trash & Recycling Rules: 종량제 Explained
After this page, you can handle a real Korean trash & recycling rules conversation in Korean.
10-Second Answer
Korea has no free general trash pickup — you must buy special pre-paid 종량제 (jongnyangje) bags at any convenience store or supermarket, priced by size, and put ONLY non-recyclable waste in them. Everything else gets sorted: 재활용 (recyclables: plastic/paper/cans/glass) goes loose into labeled bins, and 음식물 쓰레기 (food waste) goes in a separate bin entirely — often requiring its own prepaid sticker or card-operated bin.
The Three Streams
| Category | What goes in it | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| 일반 쓰레기 (general waste) | Anything not recyclable or food — used tissues, broken items, styrofoam with food residue | Buy a 종량제 bag (구·군 specific, sold by the liter) |
| 재활용 (recycling) | Clean plastic, paper, cans, glass, vinyl — sorted into separate bins or bags | Usually free — no special bag needed |
| 음식물 쓰레기 (food waste) | All food scraps, including bones and shells | Often a separate bag/sticker, or a card-swipe bin billed by weight |
종량제 bags are NOT universal — each 구/시 (district/city) sells its own official bags, sold at any local convenience store or supermarket, and a bag from one district usually can't be used in another.
Key Phrases and Vocabulary
종량제 봉투 어디서 사요?
jongnyangje bongtu eodiseo sayo?
Where do I buy the pay-as-you-throw bags?
봉투 = bag. Any nearby convenience store carries the local district's bags.
이거 재활용 돼요?
igeo jaehwallyong dwaeyo?
Can this be recycled?
Useful when you're not sure which stream an item belongs to.
Recycling Sub-Sorting
- 플라스틱 (plastic) — rinse first; food residue can get a whole bag rejected
- 종이/종이팩 (paper / paper cartons) — milk and juice cartons are sorted SEPARATELY from regular paper
- 캔/고철 (cans/metal) and 유리병 (glass bottles) — usually separate bins
- 비닐 (vinyl/soft plastic film) — its own category, distinct from rigid plastic
Apartment complexes typically have a shared recycling area with labeled bins for each category and set collection days — check your building's noticeboard, since exact rules are set locally by each 구청 (district office).
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1 — Putting general trash in a plain bag
Only official 종량제 bags are collected — an unmarked bag left at the curb may simply be left uncollected or ticketed.
Mistake #2 — Mixing food waste into general trash
음식물 쓰레기 must go in its own bin — it's checked and enforced far more strictly than in many countries.
Mini Quiz
1. What is a 종량제 bag?
2. Where does food waste (음식물 쓰레기) go?
3. Can you use a 종량제 bag from a different district?
Related Knowledge
Learn Next
Trash sorted out — next, the phone plan you'll need before almost anything else works in Korea.
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Start today's study →Last updated: 2026-08-11 · Written and reviewed by a native Korean speaker.