Politics
Seoul Metropolitan Council Approves Revised Solid Waste Bylaw Changing Collection Fees for Households
The July 8 vote sets new volume-based charges that take effect in every district from September.
How we reported this
The Seoul Metropolitan Council passed the revised Solid Waste Management Bylaw on July 8 by a 28-15 margin. The measure updates collection schedules and introduces volume-based fees for residential waste in all 25 districts of the city.
Why the change arrives now
Seoul generates 9,800 tonnes of household waste daily according to the 2025 municipal environmental report. Council records show the existing flat-fee system has not kept pace with rising volumes recorded since 2023, prompting the update to the 2018 bylaw framework.
Under the new rules, households in districts such as Songpa-gu and Nowon-gu will receive tagged bins that record weight at each pickup. Families exceeding 30 kilograms per week will pay an additional 2,500 won per extra 10 kilograms, billed quarterly through the city utility portal.
Direct effects on daily routines
Residents in Mapo-gu apartment complexes will shift from weekly mixed-waste pickups on Tuesdays to scheduled organic-waste collections on Mondays and Thursdays. Single-person households in Jongno-gu can expect lower base fees of 8,000 won per quarter if they maintain under 15 kilograms weekly.
The legislation directs 45 billion won from the 2026 municipal budget, as listed in the council finance committee report, toward new smart bins and sorting stations at 320 neighbourhood locations. Local advocates note that small businesses operating from ground-floor units in commercial-residential buildings must now separate commercial waste from residential streams.
Implementation begins September 1 with district-level information sessions scheduled through October. The city administration will publish monthly compliance data starting in November, allowing residents to track individual household charges against the published district averages.