This study classifies household waste sources into domestic and non-domestic categories and further sub-categorizes them by housing and business types to examine variations in discharge characteristics. While official statistics from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE)—specifically the ‘National Waste Generation and Treatment Status’ and the ‘National Waste Statistics Survey’—provide data on total generation and per-unit generation by source, they have been limited in capturing the specific discharge characteristics unique to each local government. To overcome these limitations, this study analyzed the discharge characteristics of Seoul as a whole and its 25 autonomous districts by integrating the aforementioned statistical data with Seoul’s domestic and non-domestic distribution maps.
The findings indicate that at the metropolitan level, non-domestic sources generate a higher volume of pay-as-you-go (unit pricing) waste and exhibit lower separation rates compared to domestic sources. Seoul’s daily pay-as-you-go waste generation increased by 15.6% over the past decade, rising from 2,948 tons/day in 2014 to 3,408 tons/day in 2023; this trend is closely linked to the discharge patterns of non-domestic sources.
An analysis of the 25 autonomous districts revealed distinct discharge characteristics depending on the specific domestic and non-domestic profiles. While per-unit domestic waste generation remained relatively consistent across all districts, significant variations in non-domestic generation served as a criterion for classifying districts into three types: domestic-centered (16 districts, including Eunpyeong-gu), non-domestic-centered (6 districts, including Jung-gu), and mixed-type (3 districts, including Seongdong-gu).
Despite these variances, an evaluation of 2025 waste policies showed that most districts have been implementing policies focused primarily on domestic sources, regardless of their specific characteristics. Based on the findings, this study proposes a four-step policy framework: ① Identification of district type, ② Review of existing policy validity, ③ Derivation of priority policies and projects, and ④ Monitoring.
Since the scope and content of waste management policies vary significantly depending on source characteristics, the district-specific data derived from this study can enhance the efficacy of existing policies. Accordingly, this study suggests that the central government implement a system within national statistics to track generation by specific discharge sources. Furthermore, it is recommended that the Seoul Metropolitan Government independently secure data on waste discharge characteristics through its own research initiatives to ensure the implementation of high-impact waste management policies.