Sejong, April 26 - The Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Jeoung Ae) announced that the Cabinet passed a partial amendment of the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources on April 26. The amendment will be proclaimed and executed by the end of April. 

The revision will make fifteen types of plastic products, including industrial film, become subject to recycling obligations. Those fifteen types of plastic products were subject to waste charges since they were categorized as "difficult to recycle." However, the manufacturers voluntarily signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment in 2018 for recycling. Since then, it has become possible for those plastic products to be recycled.   

Following the recent revision, industrial films and water filters manufactured this year will be subject to recycling obligations. The recycling obligation will apply to the remaining thirteen products, such as safety nets and fishing nets, from 2023. 

 

Manufacturers or importers of these products must attain the mandatory recycling ratio for each product type. Failure to do so will result in paying for the recycling dues, which will be more than the expenses incurred for the recycling wastes. The ratio of the amount to be recycled among the annual quantity shipped out of a factory for industrial films will be 55 %, and for replacement water filters will be 71%. The ratio of the amount to be recycled for the remaining 13 items will be announced later this year and will go into effect the following year.

Furthermore, manufacturers with annual sales of less than KRW 1 billion and importers with yearly imports of less than KRW 300 million in the previous year will be exempted from the recycling obligation until 2025, easing the burden on small business owners.

Hong Dong-gon, Director-General of Resources Circulation Bureau, said, "The amendment of the Act now obligates all manufacturers of fifteen plastic products to recycle. We will continue to expand the scope of the items to lead the national circular economy."

Contact: KIM Yoo-kyung, Deputy Director

Resource Recycling Division/ +82-(0)44-201-7381 

Foreign Media Contact: CHUN Minjo

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr