March 26, 2025 – South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, through its Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), has recently announced plans to develop and unveil standards for polypropylene (PP) recycling, aiming to boost plastic recycling efforts in the country.
Since 2021, the South Korean government has been actively devising and implementing comprehensive measures for plastic recycling, recognizing that ensuring recycled plastics meet certain standards and quality is crucial for expanding the use of recycled materials. According to insights from the Color Masterbatch Industry Network, Jeon Eung-gil, Director-General of the Unification Policy Bureau at KRISS, stated that by standardizing high-quality recycled products based on recycled plastic raw materials, the competitiveness of South Korea’s recycling industry will be enhanced, contributing to the development of the country’s circular economy and revitalizing product exports.
Polypropylene, a type of synthetic resin, is widely used in industries such as piping and automotive parts. Notably, it serves as a primary material for packaging, including distribution containers, making it closely linked to consumers’ daily lives. In recent years, its consumption has soared, leading to a rapid increase in waste. It’s worth mentioning that KRISS first established standards for recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) in February of last year.