Homeplus to Use Over 30% Recycled Materials by 2025... "Industry First"

Establishment of a Production System for Over 100,000 Tons of High-Quality PET Recycled Materials by 2022

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Homeplus has declared the expansion of eco-friendly recycled material usage for the first time in the distribution industry. By 2025, it plans to use more than 30% of domestically produced PET recycled materials in packaging materials where recycled materials can be used.

The Ministry of Environment announced on the 19th that it will jointly declare the expansion of eco-friendly recycled material usage with Homeplus. They agreed to collaborate to produce more than 100,000 tons of high-quality recycled materials domestically by 2022.

As of 2019, 78,000 tons of waste PET and recycled materials were imported, but it is expected that these imports can be completely eliminated.

On the morning of the same day, Hong Jeong-gi, Vice Minister of Environment, held a joint declaration agreement ceremony for the '2025 Expansion of Eco-friendly Recycled Material Usage' at Homeplus Gangseo Store in Seoul with Kim Woong, Executive Director of Homeplus, and Song Jaeyong, Chairman of the Korea Packaging Recycling Business Cooperative.

By 2025, Homeplus will use more than 30% of domestically produced PET recycled materials in packaging materials where recycled materials can be used. When using packaging materials, recyclability will be prioritized, and items that can be converted by 2025 will be improved with materials and structures that are easy to recycle.

An official from the Ministry of Environment explained, "This declaration is meaningful in that Homeplus is the first in the domestic distribution industry to declare a goal for recycled material usage."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Environment is promoting institutional improvements for the production of packaging materials with materials and structures that are easy to recycle. Since December 25 of last year, separate collection of transparent PET bottles has been implemented in apartment complexes nationwide.

The sorting and recycling industries are also actively promoting facility improvements to produce high-quality recycled materials.

Vice Minister Hong said, "For the early formation of a domestic high-quality recycled material market, pioneering efforts by domestic companies like Homeplus are necessary," and added, "The government announced the plastic reduction measures on December 24 of last year."

He continued, "The government will speed up institutional improvements and support for companies to expand high value-added recycling of plastics, which is a core task."