Dear MEL Topic Readers,
New York has a food waste problem. South Korea has already solved it
When organic waste is buried in a landfill, it breaks down without
oxygen and releases methane, a greenhouse gas that traps much more heat than
CO2, and leachate, a noxious liquid that contaminates soil and groundwater. In
a circular economy, organic waste should be separated, recycled, and reused as
energy. In 1997, food waste separation became mandatory in South Korea. Now,
over 95% of residential organic waste is collected and recycled, and over 340 bioenergy
centers produce electricity from food waste across the country. They are funded
by fees residents pay each time they dispose of food waste into smart bins and
also by government subsidies.
Following South Korea’s food waste recycling initiative, New York mandated that residents separate food waste and put it into a designated bin in 2024. A
year later, the city collected about 9% of household food waste. Not a bad
start, but still a long way to go. The government and municipalities can collect
designated trash bins, such as garbage, cans, bottles, PET bottles, and plastic
waste. But it is the residents who sort their trash and put it out separately. Indeed,
food waste recycling is a collective responsibility that might be cultivated
over time.
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