Chemical companies work on environmentally friendly “green” plastics

Under the circumstances of this predicted enormous growth, South Korean chemical companies are increasing their efforts in research and development and in the expansion of production facilities. LG Chem has recently developed a fully biodegradable plastic with properties identical to those of conventional plastics. In addition, LG Chem has entered into a strategic partnership with Neste, the world’s largest biodiesel company, to develop environmentally friendly materials for the industry from renewable, biologically produced raw materials.

Within the SK Group, the SKC and SK Chemicals divisions focus on the development of environmentally friendly materials. SKC already brought biodegradable plastic films made of polylactides to market maturity in 2009. These are successfully used for the packaging of food, packaging labels, plastic bags and other products. SK Chemicals introduced Ecotria, a raw material for packaging of cosmetic products, which consists of a mixture of copolyester with recycled PET. Hanwha Solutions, on the other hand, is working on a compound of polyethylene and biodegradable plastic to overcome the limitations of using PLA and PBAT.

The Samyang Group was able to successfully synthesize the substance isosorbide as early as 2014 and produce it in an industrial process. The material, which is made from natural raw materials derived from plant starch, can replace chemical substances in paints and adhesives. The chemical company CJ CheilJedang is expanding its business to the development of biodegradable or renewable raw materials. To this end, it will build a new production line for the manufacture of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) in Pasuruan, Indonesia, next year. The plant will have a capacity of 5,000 tons of the biodegradable and also ocean-degradable material. Many products imported into South Korea must be tested and certified in advance. KC certification, or Korea Certification, is all about identifying and mitigating a potential risk to safety, health and the environment. The KC Mark or KC Certificate is similar to the European CE mark and applies to 730 different products. MPR International GmbH – Korea Certification is represented by its own subsidiaries at five locations and thus completely covers the demand for certification services for the South Korean market. Our experts are available to you at any time and without obligation to answer your questions regarding a Korea certification.

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Julian Busch

About the author: Julian Busch is the founder and managing director of MPR International GmbH

Publisher: MPR International GmbH

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