2.3.4 The Volume-Based Waste Fee system (1995)
The Korean government concentrated on minimizing waste generation at the source and
maximizing waste recycling with the implementation of the Volume-Based Waste Fee (VBWF) system in
1995 based on a revision of the Waste Management Act legislated in 1991 [10]. The VBWF system
charged citizens a waste collection fee based on the amount of waste generated, replacing the previous
fixed-rate taxation system [12].
In compliance with the VBWF system, households, businesses and institutions are required to
separate their MSW into two streams: Designated recyclable materials and all other wastes. They are
also obligated to purchase and use VBWF bags as shown in Figure 7 for disposing the non-recyclable