Throwing out rubbish — sort it, and put general waste in the official pay-as-you-throw bag
This page is machine translated from Ieumi's guide written in Korean. If the meaning is confusing, please look at the Korean original text. View original text (Korean)
In Korea, rubbish is sorted by type before you throw it out (separate disposal). Collection days, times and bags differ by area, so check with your building management office, community service center or district office website. Large appliances such as fridges and washing machines can be picked up from your home for free.
📌 Key points
Recyclables must be emptied, rinsed, have other materials such as labels removed, and not be mixed. If they are dirty or mixed, they cannot be recycled and become general waste.
🔢 Do these in order
- General waste — anything that cannot be recycled goes into a pay-as-you-throw bag. Bags differ by city, county or district, so buy them at a convenience store or supermarket in your own neighbourhood.
- Recyclables — sort paper, plastic, glass bottles, cans and plastic film by type. Empty, rinse, remove other materials, and do not mix. Ask the management office or community service center where and on which days to put them out.
- Clear PET bottles — for colourless water and drink bottles, remove the label, crush the bottle, close the cap, and put it out separately from other plastics. Coloured bottles, sauce containers and disposable cups go out as plastic.
- Food waste — drain the water and throw it out the way your area uses (special bags, special bins, or card-operated weighing machines). Some things such as hard bones, shells and hard seeds are not accepted as food waste — if unsure, check your area's rules.
- Large items (bulky waste) — things that do not fit in a bag, such as furniture or beds, must be reported to the district office website/app or the community service center. Pay the fee, attach the sticker or report number you receive, and put it out at the designated place. Fees differ by item and area.
- Free appliance pickup — large appliances such as fridges, washing machines, air conditioners and TVs (even one), or 5 or more small appliances, are picked up from your home for free. Book by phone at 1599-0903, on the website, or via KakaoTalk (no pickup on Sundays and public holidays).
📍 Where to go
Your building management office, community service center or district office (sanitation) · free appliance pickup 1599-0903
⚠️ Things to watch out for
Collection days and times, bag colours and fines for wrong disposal differ by city, county and district. We do not list numbers that vary by area — check your district office website or community service center.
❗ What happens if you don't
Wrongly disposed rubbish may be left uncollected, and you may be fined.
Basis
- 서울시 내 손안에 서울 「폐가전 무상방문수거」 (2026-08-10) https://mediahub.seoul.go.kr/archives/2019007 — 1599-0903 · 누리집 · 카카오톡 · 대형 1개 · 소형 5개 이상 · 무상 · 일요일 · 공휴일 휴무 (Claude 직접 대조)
- 인천광역시 「폐가전무상방문 수거 서비스(1599-0903)」 (2025-07-28) https://www.incheon.go.kr/recycle/RC100502/3027548
- 비건뉴스 (2026-10-02, 기후에너지환경부 「투명페트병 별도 분리배출 방법」 인용) https://vegannews.co.kr/news/article.html?no=390327 — 비우고 헹굼 · 라벨은 비닐류 · 찌그러뜨려 뚜껑 닫음 · 무색 생수 · 음료 병만 전용함 · 유색 · 양념 용기 · 일회용 컵은 플라스틱 · 지역별로 다를 수 있음
- 비건뉴스 (2026-06-17) https://www.vegannews.co.kr/news/article.html?no=383384 — 뼈 · 패류 껍데기 · 단단한 씨 등은 음식물류에 적합하지 않음 · 「세부 기준은 지자체별 조례와 처리시설에 따라 달라질 수 있다」
- 서울시 「자치구마다 다르던 음식물 분리배출 금지 품목 통일」 (2022-03-25) https://mediahub.seoul.go.kr/archives/2004122 — 동물 뼈 · 패류 껍데기 · 복숭아 · 감 씨 등은 일반쓰레기 · 자치구마다 달랐다(지역 차이의 근거로만)
- 서울시 「분리배출 4대 원칙 — 비운다 · 헹군다 · 분리한다 · 섞지 않는다」 (2021-12-10) https://mediahub.seoul.go.kr/archives/2003449
- 강남구청 「대형생활폐기물 배출 안내」 https://www.gangnam.go.kr/waste/apply/info.do?mid=ID03_030702 (2026-10-06 확인) — 사전 신고 · 접수번호 기재 · 수수료 · 월~토 수거 · 건물 앞 / 단지 내 배출장 · 대형가전은 공제조합 무상수거
- 면접 연습 지문 `read-trash`(questions.interview.json 제36~39문항) — 🔴 우리가 쓴 연습 지문, 기출 아님(docs/02-exam-facts 228줄)
This content was checked on 2026-10-06.