Food waste is a serious issue around the world today. It comes from not only the leftovers on people’s plates but also the unsold and unprocessed produce going to the landfills to decompose and release polluting chemicals into the air, water, and soil. Yet South Korea is an interesting case regarding food waste disposal, given its system of weighted food waste. 

This problem is connected to soil because the decomposition of food waste can cause harmful bacteria to pollute the waterways and the soil, not to mention the odors from these chemical reactions. Furthermore, food waste can result in the emission of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane (depending on the accessibility of oxygen), contributing to phenomena like climate change

In South Korea, when people want to dispose of food waste, they need to buy different waste bags corresponding to the weight of the food waste (as well as general waste) and dispose of the filled food waste bags in machine chutes, which process it for animal feed and energy. This system is sustainable compared to the regulations of many other countries, as it provides incentives for regular consumers to reduce the amount of food waste to decrease the costs of buying the waste bags. 

However, this system is not perfect, as it yields gas emissions and adds to the costs burdened by society of already accumulating waste disposal. Additionally, it does not fully account for the food waste from the production of crops and food products, not providing enough of an incentive for large effects. 

Therefore, a solution to food waste disposal is composting. People can implement this solution in their homes, workplaces, and factories while providing the agricultural sector with sustainable fertilizer. There are different types of composting, such as aerobic composting, anaerobic composting, in-vessel composting, and vermicomposting (DKMM).

Aerated composting involves aerating the food waste through either mechanical or manual ways from time to time to allow oxygen to help decompose the organic material. Anaerboic composting, on the other hand, involves limiting the amount of oxygen reacting with the food waste by keeping the organic materials “in a closed container with lots of solid saturating a slurry” (Hepperly)

The main benefit of composting is that, according to Cowan, compost bins can help decompose organic materials into fertilizer (to be used by farmers) and sustainably reuse the waste for the benefit of the society (which ends up consuming the crops grown by reused food). Because people can set up household composting systems in their gardens and even in their apartments, compost bins will be able to manage food waste from food scraps and yard trimmings while reducing the amount of pollution caused by the disposal of organic waste. 

The solution of composting has been brought to light partly in the face of the sustainability movement and the rise of concerns about South Korea’s waste being produced and having less options to go after countries like China have closed their ports for imported waste, and also in the face of the importance of soil as an environment. 

December 5th was ‘World Soil Day’, meaning the promotion of composting would help celebrate the importance of clean, preserved soil providing the foundation for living beings and ecosystems.

In connection with the benefits of composting, I have led efforts in the past to promote composting in our school through activities such as assembly presentations, videos, and posters to raise awareness about food waste and interactive competitions for grade levels to get motivation for decreasing their leftover food waste. 

To sum up, we should all try to promote composting considering its benefits for the land and Earth — afterward, we might be able to set a more sustainable future!

Cowan, Shannon. “Composting.” Eartheasy Guides & Articles, Eartheasy, learn.eartheasy.com/guides/composting/.

 Hepperly, Paul Reed. “Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Composting.” ResearchGate, ResearchGate, 2016, www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_difference_between_the_results_of_aerobic_and_anaerobic_composting.