Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are beginning to ripple into daily life in South Korea, with authorities warning that supplies of official trash bags could be impacted.
The government has started reviewing inventory levels held by local authorities, amid concerns that disruptions to crude oil supply could affect the production of key raw materials.
Officials at the Ministry of Environment said the review began Thursday after manufacturers warned they have about one month’s worth of raw materials left to produce the bags. The bags are made from polyethylene, a common plastic derived from petrochemicals.
Polyethylene is produced from ethylene, which is extracted through the thermal cracking of naphtha, a feedstock refined from crude oil. Supply concerns have intensified as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz — a key route for oil shipments to South Korea — raise the risk of reduced inflows.
Industry sources said operating rates at the country’s naphtha cracking centers have dropped by about 20 percentage points from February. Polyethylene prices have risen more than 10 percent over the same period, with further increases expected.
South Korea mandates the use of official trash bags for both general and food waste under its volume-based fee system, meaning any supply disruption could affect waste management as well as daily routines.
About 2.5 billion official trash bags were produced nationwide in 2024, according to government data.
The government said local authorities currently hold sufficient inventory, making an immediate shortage unlikely, and added that existing raw material stockpiles are expected to last for some time.
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