H. Yoo
Research expert covering South Korea
Plastics industry in South Korea - statistics & facts
Although South Korea lacks domestic sources of fossil fuels, its petrochemical industry is one of the largest in the world. Plastics are one of South Korea's major exports and the country ranks high globally for its production capacity of high-density polyethylene production. While plastic production, particularly with packaging, has complimented South Korea's consumerist lifestyle, plastic manufacturers have begun looking into developing new processes to reduce or reuse waste materials coming from plastics.
Plastic raw materials and trade
South Korea has honed its ability to process raw petroleum materials into other petrochemicals, and plastics from synthetic resins and polymers fall into this category. Most of the naphtha and liquified petroleum gas imports for the production of plastic products in South Korea come from the United Arab Emirates and the United States. After processing such raw materials into other basic chemicals like ethylene and propylene, it is further processed into synthetic resins and polymers to be turned into plastic items. Major export destinations for plastic items from South Korea are the United States and China. As a whole, the country’s plastics industry has grown over time in scale and value, with the number of plastics manufacturing companies having increased steadily over the past several years.Plastic material production
There is a high domestic demand for plastics, particularly polypropylene, which is used to produce straws, coat hangers, and light food containers, among other products. Other highly produced plastic materials in South Korea are high- and low-density polyethylene, both used for items such as shampoo bottles and plastic films. Among domestic manufacturers, LG Chem is the top petrochemical company in South Korea in terms of sales. While plastic has provided convenience in many ways, such as with household goods, its high consumption has brought concerns about its environmental impact.Household plastic emissions
The high density of convenience stores and common use of plastic packaging in food delivery services in South Korea have contributed heavily to the large share of plastic waste in households. Food packaging made up more than 70 percent of household plastic waste in South Korea, with CJ CheilJedang being the firm most associated with plastic waste. To curb the environmental impact of plastics, large companies such as GS Caltex have worked on methods to reuse oil and raw materials from decomposing plastic waste. While the market is still far from scrapping plastics altogether, the plastics industry may soon find itself having to evolve as sustainability becomes a greater aim for consumers and manufacturers alike.
