According to a report by South Korea's News1 on March 19, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it will establish and publish recycling standards for polypropylene (PP) to promote plastic recycling. The South Korean government has been developing and promoting comprehensive measures for plastic recycling since 2021, believing that achieving certain standards and quality is crucial for expanding the use of recycled materials. Jeon Young-gil, Director of the Unified Policy Bureau of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, stated that by standardizing high-quality recycled products based on recycled plastic materials, they aim to enhance the competitiveness of South Korea's recycling industry, promote a circular economy, and revitalize product exports.

Polypropylene is a synthetic resin widely used in industries such as pipes and automotive parts. In particular, as a major raw material for packaging materials like distribution containers, it is extensively used in consumers' daily lives, and in recent years, consumption has surged sharply, leading to a rapid increase in waste. Additionally, the Korean Standards Agency established a standard for recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for the first time in February last year (source: Ministry of Commerce website; image: AI).