The RECYCLING OF TRASH... It's a thing. And not only in Raon!
There's a reason why Jeju is a clean place... Koreans are very keen on recycling.
In Raon, garbage collection points are usually in the centre of a quad. They are very easily accessible, and are serviced very regularly. THE FEES FOR THIS ARE PART OF YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL.
Apparently in Seoul you can get a hefty fine if you don't sort and recycle your trash. You do get fined here also if you ever get caught not sorting and recycling properly.
There are several categories to sort your trash into. E.g.: -
In Raon, garbage collection points are usually in the centre of a quad. They are very easily accessible, and are serviced very regularly. THE FEES FOR THIS ARE PART OF YOUR ELECTRICITY BILL.
Apparently in Seoul you can get a hefty fine if you don't sort and recycle your trash. You do get fined here also if you ever get caught not sorting and recycling properly.
There are several categories to sort your trash into. E.g.: -
- Paper
- Plastics
- Metal cans
- Clothes and shoes
- Cardboard
- Food - use a *trash/rubbish bag* for these (5L ones are big enough for these. The contents tend to decay and smell if you leave them too long. You'll probably throw these out daily.)
- General refuse - use a *trash/rubbish bag* for these (20L ones will do. There are bigger ones available, though)
*trash/rubbish bag* - Apparently if you use marked trash/rubbish bags - see the end of the post for a photo of one (with blue writing them, available to buy at the GS25 in Raon and Canons, the nearby CU and some local stores like the old supermarket in Moseulpo) - the garbage collectors get a certain amount in money back from the garbage companies.
The bags have the area which they service marked on them. It is not advisable to buy the bags marked for Jeju city and then use them in Raon, Canons, Samjung, or Green and Gold for example.
In Korea, when you throw out the garbage, you need the specific plastic bag (it even has the district name written down which means you can not use the plastic bag that is bought from Jeju city - BHA is in Seogwipo city)
However... we all run out of trash/rubbish bags at some point, and sometime the stores run out too. If either of these happens to you, then go ahead and use any old trash/rubbish bag. Just get back with the program ASAP! ;-)
For food waste, there are special YELLOW trash bags with the same writing printed on them as the white ones (see photo below)
Here are the words in Korean. Take a picture on your phone and show it to a store keeper, for example. But generally here in the GEC store keepers understand the word 'Trash Bags'.
1. trash bag : 쓰레기봉투
* (they come in different size by litre)
2. food waste bag : 음식물 쓰레기봉투
* (this one also comes in different size by litre - Yellow)
FYI - At Woori-mart in Moseulpo you have the option of buying a trash bag at the counter when you pay instead of a normal plastic bag! Very smart initiative by the Woori-mart group!!
Happy keeping your new home clean!