Gangdong-gu Supports Installation of RFID Food Waste Weighing Devices

Voluntary Food Waste Reduction with RFID Pay-As-You-Throw System, Creating a Pleasant Residential Environment

Food Waste RFID Metering Device

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Jeong-hoon) is supporting the installation of ‘Food Waste RFID Weight Scales’ to reduce food waste and improve the environment, and is recruiting multi-family housing and general households on a first-come, first-served basis.

The ‘Food Waste RFID (electronic tag) Weight Scale’ recognizes an electronic tag on the device when food waste is disposed of, automatically measures the amount disposed by an electronic scale, and charges a fee based on the weight.

Unlike the existing complex-based disposal method (payment certificate), the disposal fee is calculated and charged according to the amount disposed, increasing each household’s awareness of food waste reduction, thereby reducing the amount disposed. The disposal opening only opens during disposal, resolving discomfort caused by odors and dirt. The hassle of separately purchasing food waste disposal bags is also eliminated.

Gangdong-gu supports 90 RFID weight scales, and the recruitment targets are multi-family housing with 40 or more households and general households with 9 or more households. However, general households must have available space (2㎡) to install the RFID weight scale.

Gangdong-gu supports the RFID weight scale, installation costs, and maintenance costs for eligible housing. The food waste disposal fee is postpaid for multi-family housing and is settled by being added to the management fee the following month after use. For general households, it is prepaid by charging and using a transportation card supported by the district.

Those wishing to apply for weight scale installation should submit the application along with ▲a resolution from the residents’ representative meeting and a copy of the meeting minutes for multi-family housing (40 or more households), or ▲consent from all residents for general households (9 or more households) by mail or visit to the Cleaning Administration Division of Gangdong-gu Office (25 Seongnae-ro, Gangdong-gu).

Since 2014, Gangdong-gu has introduced RFID weight scales targeting multi-family housing, and as of now, has installed and operated 654 weight scales in 85 complexes (38,348 households), resulting in about a 30% reduction in food waste disposal.

In particular, since November last year, the district has started installing RFID weight scales not only in multi-family housing but also in general residential areas, currently operating one weight scale each in 10 general household locations (113 households). Residents participating in the pilot project expressed high satisfaction with the reduction of food wastewater and odors caused by the use of conventional disposal bags.

Lee Jeong-hoon, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, stated, “Since the introduction of RFID weight scales in multi-family housing has proven effective in reducing food waste, I hope many residents in general households will participate through the weight scale installation support project, creating a pleasant residential environment.”

Gangdong-gu is promoting various projects as part of its recycling virtuous cycle initiative, including ▲Gangdong Village Mine ▲Public institution single-use item reduction campaign ▲Promotion of reusable shopping bag use in markets ▲Public-private cooperative ice pack collection project ▲AI unmanned recycling collection machine ‘Nephron’ ▲Visiting resource circulation school ▲Open courtyard permanent recycling market, among others.

For more information, contact the Cleaning Administration Division of Gangdong-gu Office at ☎3425-5880.

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