The test
Anything hard enough to damage the processing machines, or too fibrous to become feed, isn’t food waste. Seoul tells residents to put these in a regular trash bag instead.
Goes in general waste
| Group | Items |
|---|---|
| Vegetables | Green onion and water parsley roots; onion, garlic, ginger and corn husks; pepper and corn stalks |
| Fruit | Hard shells like pineapple and chestnut; pits of peaches, apricots and persimmons |
| Meat and seafood | Beef, pork and chicken bones and hair; fish bones; clam, conch and abalone shells |
| Other | Eggshells, tea bags, toothpicks, plastic and other non-food items |
Seoul has published its food waste standard in ten languages, including English, Chinese and Vietnamese. Details vary between districts, so your district’s list wins.
Goes in food waste
- Rice, side dishes, soup solids (drain the liquid)
- Soft vegetable and fruit scraps
- Coffee grounds (tea bag, string and tag go in general waste)
Check in the app
Quiz yourself
The Quiz tab in Waste Sorting Guide shows one item and four categories. Food waste vs general waste is where most people slip; misses are saved to Wrong answers for review.
Browse Food waste
Open the Food waste card in Categories to see what does go in the food bin; bones, shells and skins appear under General waste.
FAQ
Watermelon rind?
Most areas take it as food waste. Cut it small and drain it.
Meat still on the chicken bones?
Meat goes in food waste, bones in general waste.
Waste Sorting Guide - Recycle
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