Development of Eco-Friendly Packaging Using Over 10% Recycled Plastic
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] SK Innovation's subsidiary SK General Chemical, comprehensive paper company Kkekkeutan Nara, and SPC Group's packaging production affiliate SPC Pack are collaborating to develop new packaging materials by recycling waste plastics. It is significant that companies across the entire value chain?packaging material production (SK General Chemical), packaging manufacturing and distribution (SPC Pack), and end-user company (Kkekkeutan Nara)?have come together for this initiative.
On the 26th, SK Innovation announced that it signed a business agreement with Kkekkeutan Nara and SPC Pack to strengthen ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management through 'development of eco-friendly packaging materials, etc.'
Under this agreement, SK General Chemical and SPC Pack will jointly develop eco-friendly packaging materials, and Kkekkeutan Nara plans to use these as outer packaging for daily necessities such as toilet paper and facial tissues.
The three companies, including SK General Chemical, plan to develop new eco-friendly packaging materials by recycling residual synthetic resins inevitably discarded during the packaging production process. Since the eco-friendly packaging will contain more than 10% recycled plastic, it is expected to contribute to the circulation of waste plastic resources and carbon reduction.
Until now, plastics discarded during the packaging production process have been used only for manufacturing low-value plastic products due to reduced strength and other physical properties, as well as reprocessing issues caused by external contamination, or have been incinerated or landfilled. However, SK General Chemical and the other two companies plan to apply physical recycling technology that crushes waste plastics and processes them into recycled plastic raw materials for use in eco-friendly packaging materials.
Going forward, SK General Chemical and the other two companies plan to strengthen ESG management and consider expanding the application of eco-friendly packaging materials to other product groups such as wet tissue packaging and disinfectant containers.
Jang Nam-hoon, Head of Packaging Division at SK General Chemical, said, "We expect this collaboration to greatly help reduce carbon emissions and establish a waste plastic circulation system," adding, "SK General Chemical will continue to expand cooperation with various companies to lead the creation of an eco-friendly plastic ecosystem."
Meanwhile, SK General Chemical is developing eco-friendly upcycled products and providing eco-friendly solutions not only to SK General Chemical but also to various companies. SK General Chemical, in cooperation with Dongmin Industry, is upcycling discarded agricultural 'gonpo silage' into fabric, which has been used since July this year to produce eco-friendly bags for SK General Chemical's chemical products.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
