Songpa-gu Unifies Food Waste Collection and Cleaning to Improve Cleanliness

Improvement of Cleaning Method for RFID Food Waste Weighing Devices in Residential Areas

Collected RFID volume meters are being cleaned with high-temperature steam at the Resource Circulation Park. (Photo by Songpa-gu Office)

Songpa-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced on the 25th that it has improved the cleaning method of electronic tag (RFID) volume-based waste bins and integrated dedicated containers (25ℓ) in general residential areas to a method that cleans immediately after food waste collection, thereby enhancing cleanliness.

Unlike apartment complexes, general residential areas often lack food waste managers. Since 2017, the district has supported the cleaning of RFID volume-based waste bins in general residential areas, but due to the gap between collection and cleaning times, thorough internal cleaning of the bins was practically difficult. Problems caused by insufficient cleanliness, such as odors and pests, have also been pointed out.

Accordingly, to manage cleanliness, the district unified the collection, transportation, and cleaning tasks of household waste starting from the 18th of last month. The collection and transportation companies responsible for each zone now handle everything from waste collection to cleaning of RFID volume-based bins and 25ℓ integrated dedicated containers, taking full responsibility for maintaining cleanliness in residential waste disposal environments.

All containers collected by the companies are transported to the Jangji-dong Resource Circulation Park, where they are cleaned with a high-temperature steam cleaner and then used for the next collection. The relatively small integrated dedicated containers are cleaned and disinfected on-site immediately after food waste collection.

Currently, the RFID volume-based waste bin distribution rate in general residential areas of Songpa-gu is about 25%, which is more than seven times higher than the overall distribution rate in Seoul’s general residential areas (3.4% as of 2023).

District Mayor Seo Gang-seok stated, “This improvement in the cleaning method is the result of a service-oriented administration that proactively addressed the needs of residents. We will do our best to create a pleasant living environment and fundamentally reduce food waste.”