Evaluation of Apartment Food Waste in Nam-gu, Gwangju

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, will conduct a reduction evaluation targeting apartment complexes in the district to reduce food waste generated in multi-family housing and promote resource circulation through composting of food waste.

According to Nam-gu on the 28th, the evaluation to select apartment complexes excelling in reducing food waste will be conducted over four months from July 1 to October 31.

The evaluation targets apartment complexes with 50 or more households in the district, including 118 complexes with 50 to 299 households and 87 complexes with 300 or more households.

The evaluation criteria include three factors: the reduction rate of food waste compared to the previous year (60 points), excellent practices in reducing food waste (20 points), and the operation of reduction facilities within the apartment complex (20 points).

Nam-gu plans to select the top six apartment complexes with the highest total scores among those with 50 to 299 households and those with 300 or more households, respectively, and provide incentives such as reductions in food waste disposal fees.

The reason for continuously conducting the food waste reduction evaluation in apartment complexes is that residents' interest and practical activities to reduce food waste are increasing.

For example, LH Cheonnyeonnamu 7 Complex, which won the grand prize for complexes with 300 or more households last year, installed worm breeding boxes and eco-friendly fermentation containers for the food composting project, recording 7.15 tons of waste discharged over three months from April to June 2021, reducing about 1.35 tons compared to the same period the previous year.

Also, Mudeung Plaza Juwol 2nd Apartment, the top apartment complex with 50 to 299 households, disposed of fish bones and eggshells, which are not considered food waste, in volume-based waste bags, minimized ingredient purchases, and practiced cooking only the amount to be eaten, reducing waste discharge by up to 45%.

A Nam-gu official stated, “Ideas for reducing food waste are actively being developed among residents, and efforts to protect the natural environment through voluntary participation are continuing,” adding, “We will do our best to create an eco-friendly Nam-gu together with the residents.”