Gwangjin District Launches Daily 30g "Trash Diet" Campaign

Responding to the direct landfilling ban... Annual reduction of 725 tons if 20% of residents participate

Gwangjin District in Seoul (Mayor Kim Kyungho) is launching the full-scale “1 Person, 1 Day, 30g Trash Diet, ‘1.1.30.Sseuda Campaign’” in response to the complete ban on direct landfilling of municipal solid waste in the Seoul metropolitan area, with the goal of reducing household waste by 6% compared to the previous year.

Kim Kyungho, Gwangjin District Mayor. Provided by Gwangjin District Office.

As direct landfilling of municipal solid waste has been completely banned in the metropolitan area starting this year, Gwangjin District has designated reducing everyday waste as a core task. Focusing on participatory programs that residents can easily put into practice in their daily lives, the district plans to spread waste-reduction efforts.

This campaign is a resident-participation program designed to promote proper waste separation and practical waste reduction. If about 20% of Gwangjin residents (around 66,000 people) each reduce their daily waste output by an average of 30g, the district expects an annual reduction effect of about 725 tons. Thirty grams is roughly equivalent to one food delivery container, one disposable spoon, and one pair of wooden chopsticks.

The district will link this campaign with the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s “Municipal Waste Diet: Ten Million Citizens Action Project,” encouraging participation by all district employees and actively promoting participation by public institutions and residents.

The public sector will take the lead by strengthening waste separation within government office buildings and actively introducing the use of reusable containers at district- and neighborhood-level festivals and events. Through agreements with major multi-use facilities such as funeral halls, cafes, and movie theaters, the district also plans to expand the use of reusable containers in the private sector.

The district will expand on-site education on waste separation for community organizations, kindergartens, daycare centers, and schools, and promote public awareness and voluntary participation through events such as Resource Circulation Day.

Taking into account the local characteristic that single-person households account for over about 50% of all households, the district will also implement tailored policies focused on improving problems related to mixed waste disposal. It will produce and distribute a “One-Glance Guide to Waste Separation” and dedicated trash bags, as well as provide multilingual information leaflets for foreign residents and conduct training for international students in cooperation with universities in the district.

Mayor Kim Kyungho of Gwangjin District said, “Real change is possible when the small actions of each and every resident come together,” adding, “We will create a clean and pleasant city through waste-reduction policies carried out together with our residents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.