Plastic bottles (123rf)
Plastic bottles (123rf)

The Ministry of Environment will strengthen the mandate on the use of recycled plastic materials by companies that produce plastic bottles to reduce overall plastic consumption, the ministry said on Thursday.

The Environment Ministry stated that by revising the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling Resources, it will change the designated industries and target groups subject to the mandatory use of recycled plastic.

Recently, with plastic waste pollution becoming more severe and exacerbating climate change in turn, other countries have begun to mandate the use of recycled materials to reduce overall plastic consumption.

For example, the European Union requires recycled materials to constitute up to 25 percent of materials used in the manufacture of polyethylene terephthalate -- or PET -- plastic bottles by 2025, with plans to increase the proportion to 30 percent by 2030. Similarly, regulations in California require 25 percent recycled materials to be used in plastic packaging by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030.

In response to these trends, the Environment Ministry previously imposed a requirement in 2023 on raw material producers that generate more than 10,000 metric tons of PET materials to use up to 3 percent recycled materials during their production process. However, this was met with criticism as no regulations were placed on final product manufacturers, such as PET bottle manufacturers.

Accordingly, the amendment shifts the mandatory recycled material usage requirement from PET raw material producers to plastic bottle manufacturing companies that use at least 5,000 metric tons of PET annually, specifically targeting the bottled water industry and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers.

Additionally, the ministry raised the recycled material usage target for raw material producers from the 3 percent requirement introduced two years ago to 10 percent.

“The ministry is looking to gradually increase the amount of recycled materials used in the manufacture of PET to 30 percent by 2030, while also expanding the list of manufacturing companies subject to mandatory usage to include those that produce at least 1,000 metric tons of PET annually,” said an Environment Ministry official in a press release.

The Environment Ministry also intends to further expand the use of recycled plastic by identifying other products that can incorporate recycled materials, such as home appliances, automotive interior components and cosmetic containers.

A legislative notice for the amendment will be posted for 40 days from Friday. After the ministry collects input from stakeholders, the amendment will be reviewed by the Ministry of Government Legislation and then discussed in a Cabinet meeting before being finalized and implemented within this year.


lee.jungjoo@heraldcorp.com