It’s all in the bag

The following is a tip on traditional Korean language and customs in response to a query from a Ms. Gibbs, who wrote to us from Seoul:

Q. Ms. Gibbs:
When I took out the trash the other day, I stuffed it all in a plastic bag that I found and went to drop the bag down near my apartment house’s back steps. A janitor suddenly began screaming at me, motioning that I was doing something wrong. Someone told me I should buy certain trash bags. Can you explain this?

A. IHT-JAD:
To promote recycling and reduce waste, the Korean government began to charge recycling fees by requiring residents to purchase special plastic bags for refuse. They are normally sold in local supermarkets and convenience stores. There are three different sizes: 20, 50 and 100 liters. The smallest bags for private homes cost 3,400 won ($2.75) for a set of 10. Larger sizes, 50 and 100 liters, are sold individually. A medium-sized bag costs 850 won and a large one 1,700 won. Just ask for sseuregi bongtu, Korean for trash bags.