Seodaemun-gu Volume-Based Waste Bags, No More Confusion! Complete Design Overhaul

Unified Bag for All Three Areas
English and Chinese Added for Foreign Residents

Seodaemun-gu in Seoul has completely revamped the design of its volume-based waste bags to reduce confusion regarding their purchase and use. The newly designed bags will go on sale next month, and the existing bags can continue to be used alongside them without any time limit.

Volume-based waste bags newly designed by Seodaemun-gu, scheduled to go on sale next month. Provided by Seodaemun-gu.

Instead of the previously complicated text, the new bags use pictograms to indicate which items are prohibited or allowed for each type of bag, making them easy for anyone to understand. To provide a range of information?such as how to dispose of household waste, how to separate recyclables, the price of the bags, and the locations of sales outlets?a QR code linking to relevant sections of the district office website has been printed on the bag’s surface for mobile access.

Previously, residents had to use different bags depending on the three designated areas within Seodaemun-gu, as determined by the sales agencies. With this redesign, the bags have been unified and can be used throughout the district without any regional distinction. To accommodate foreign residents, the bag names are provided in both English and Chinese, and information about prohibited items, as well as disposal times and locations, is also provided in English, ensuring accessibility for everyone. Additionally, the Seodaemun-gu character, ‘Seochi,’ has been cutely incorporated to make the bags more approachable and to promote interest in waste separation.

The new design applies to all types of volume-based waste bags: general waste bags, food waste bags, reusable bags (which can also be used for carrying goods from supermarkets), and special specification bags. The existing bags will continue to be sold until stocks run out, and any bags already purchased can be used indefinitely.

Lee Seongheon, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “We focused on improving convenience for our residents, and we expect that the newly designed volume-based waste bags will greatly contribute to establishing a proper waste separation culture.”