- 70% reduction in greenhouse gases compared to existing PET materials... Promotion of global certification for new containers
- Applied to food containers following beverages and fashion… Eco-friendly “green materials” trend as recycled materials
SK chemicals and Poonglim P&P have joined hands to produce Korea’s first food container made of chemically recycled materials.
SK chemicals (CEO: Jeon Kwang-hyun) announced on the 1st that it had signed a business agreement to develop “chemically recycled food containers” at the headquarters of SK chemicals located in Pangyo. Lee Dong-gyu, CEO of Poonglim P&P, and Kim Eung-soo, head of SK chemicals’ Copolyester Business, attended the ceremony.
Poonglim P&P is a food packaging company that produces food containers and packaging materials for the Ottogi brand. In line with the strengthening of ESG management, an eco-friendly system is applied to the entire packaging material production process, and the company is actively introducing eco-friendly materials.
Under this agreement, the two parties plan to develop various food contact containers and cooperate for mass production using SK chemicals’ SKYPET CR, which uses 99% r-BHET, a chemically recycled raw material. SK chemicals plans to supply the “SKYPET CR” necessary for the mass production of food containers. Poonglim P&P plans to use this to develop a container with 99% content recycled raw materials, to acquire the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certification.
“Chemical Recycling” refers to a technology that produces polymer plastics by breaking down waste plastics into pure, raw materials. SK chemicals’ “SKYPET CR” reduces greenhouse gases by about 70% compared to the existing petrochemical-based PET material. As a result, Samdasoo released the bottled water RE:Born using SKYPET CR last year. It is also receiving attention as a greenhouse gas reduction material in the textile and film market.
Lee Dong-gyu, CEO of Poonglim P&P, said, “Eco-friendly practice is the last activity for the sustainable survival of mankind, and it is the mission of all of us that must be pursued with urgency.” He then added, “We plan to practice ESG management by developing and using low-carbon containers that can reduce greenhouse gases.”
Kim Eung-soo, head of SK chemicals’ Copolyester Business, said, “The ‘free plastic’ trend is accelerating due to the United Nations Convention and domestic and foreign plastic regulations.” In addition, he said, “SKYPET CR, a chemical recycling material that can reduce greenhouse gases, will realize a ‘bottle-to-bottle’ circular economy and further strengthen the business system based on ESG management.”
# Photo description: SK chemicals-Poonglim P&P MOU for the mass production of “chemically recycled” food containers. (From left) SK chemicals Kim Eung-soo, head of SK chemicals’ Copolyester Business, Lee Dong-gyu, CEO of Poonglim P&P