South Korea has brought food waste recycling to nearly 97%. What once went to landfills is now becoming feedstock for energy and fertilizer, reducing methane emissions and the need for fossil fuels.
It took decades to get there: since 1995, residents have paid based on the amount of waste they produce, and organic waste must be separated. Smart bins weigh it and calculate the fee: the less you throw away, the less you pay. Recycling produces biogas and electricity — one facility supplies enough power for about 6,000 homes.
Now New York is introducing a similar system. Separate collection has been mandatory since 2024, but it still covers about 9% of household organic waste. The city is still far from South Korea’s result, but the principle is already changing: food waste is becoming a resource.
