Coca-Cola Signs Agreement with Ministry of Environment to Expand Packaging Recycling Ease

Choi Su-jeong, CEO of Coca-Cola Korea, and Kim Young-hoon, Director General of the Natural Environment Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, are signing a memorandum of understanding to expand the ease of packaging recycling and taking a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Coca-Cola Korea announced on the 27th that it has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment to expand the recyclability of packaging materials.

The signing ceremony was held in an untact (non-face-to-face) manner reflecting social distancing measures, with Choi Sujeong, CEO of Coca-Cola Korea, and Kim Younghoon, Director of the Natural Environment Policy Office at the Ministry of Environment, in attendance. This agreement was reached based on the Ministry of Environment's policy commitment to increase the recycling rate of packaging materials such as PET bottles amid the surge in single-use product consumption and Coca-Cola's efforts to improve packaging recyclability.

Since December, the Ministry of Environment has been implementing a separate collection project for transparent PET bottles to increase their recycling rate. Transparent colorless PET bottles have the advantage of being recyclable into high-quality resources such as fibers and nonwoven fabrics; however, until recently, the recycling rate remained low due to mixed disposal of colored and colorless PET bottles.

In response, Coca-Cola Korea plans to contribute to creating a positive resource circulation for the environment and society by introducing packaging designed for recyclability from the production stage. First, this month, it will launch ‘Cigram,’ the first domestic carbonated beverage product without a label. By removing the label and reducing the amount of plastic used in PET bottles, Coca-Cola expects to reduce plastic usage by 445 tons annually. Additionally, by the first half of this year, Coca-Cola plans to expand PET bottle products with improved label removal methods and no-label products to enhance ease of separation and recycling, participating in efforts toward a sustainable society.

The Ministry of Environment plans to support producers like Coca-Cola in improving their products to materials and structures that are easier to recycle, and to promote voluntary waste reduction and resource recycling atmosphere through institutional support such as separate collection of transparent PET bottles, high-quality recycling of improved transparent PET bottles, joint agreements with producers, and promotional activities.

Choi Sujeong, CEO of Coca-Cola Korea, said, “Coca-Cola deeply empathizes that various problems caused by plastic waste require collective effort, and we have declared ‘World Without Waste’ to make diverse efforts for 100% collection and recycling of all beverage packaging for a sustainable environment. Through this voluntary agreement with the Ministry of Environment, we will strive to reduce waste in daily life and expand opportunities to improve recyclability across society, creating a resource circulation where PET bottles are properly recycled.”

Kim Younghoon, Director of the Natural Environment Policy Office at the Ministry of Environment, said, “Amid the recent surge in single-use products and household waste, we have come together to encourage proper separation and disposal and promote the transition to a resource-circulating society through this agreement ceremony. For PET bottles, which are considered high value-added recyclable materials, voluntary efforts by companies are crucial. We are pleased that the no-label PET bottles, previously applied to bottled water, are now expanding to carbonated beverage products. The government will continue to improve systems and provide support to back up companies’ pioneering efforts.”