South Korean Garbage Cans That Send You the Bill

 

In South Korea, smart trash bins are revolutionizing waste management by charging residents based on the weight of their food scraps. This "pay-as-you-throw" system requires residents to scan an ID card before disposal. The bin weighs the contents and displays the cost instantly, which is then added to a monthly maintenance bill. Currently, the tariff is relatively low—roughly 130 won per kilogram—yet the impact has been significant. In Seoul, these bins have reportedly helped reduce food waste by over 50%.

To save money and reduce weight, many residents have adopted new habits, such as drying out lettuce leaves or squeezing liquids from scraps before disposal. Some families have also become more mindful of portion sizes to avoid leftovers entirely. Nationwide, over 150,000 smart bins now serve 8.5 million households, contributing to a 24% drop in waste over the last decade.

The collected waste is processed into compost or chicken feed, with 100kg of waste yielding about 10kg of feed. While officials credit the success to better cooking habits, some skeptics wonder if the drastic 50% reduction is partly due to residents secretly flushing food down toilets. Regardless, the system has successfully shifted the country away from landfills toward a more circular economy.