[Photo from Ajou Economic DB]
To respond to the European Union's tightening environmental regulations, the South Korean government will invest 73 billion won in the development of recycling technologies for used textiles and tires. The initiative aims to transform waste, which is often incinerated or disposed of as low-quality resources, into raw materials for new products, thereby overcoming global regulatory barriers.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute announced on July 2 that they will launch a national research and development (R&D) project to recycle used textiles and tires into high-quality resources. The government plans to allocate a total of 73 billion won over the next five years, starting this year and continuing until 2030.
Currently, recycling used textiles in South Korea is challenging due to the complex materials such as polyester and nylon, as well as the difficulty in separating zippers and buttons. Most collected used clothing is either exported overseas or used in some construction materials. Similarly, over 60% of the waste tires generated are used as thermal raw materials, such as solid recovered fuel (SRF).
The issue is that global regulations will tighten starting next year. The EU is set to implement the Eco-Design Regulation (ESPR) in July 2024, with full enforcement expected by the second half of 2028. Once the law is in effect, manufacturers will be required to use a certain percentage of recycled materials in their products.
In response, the Ministry of Climate will invest 25 billion won to establish a resource recycling system. This includes developing an AI-based automated system for separating and sorting used textiles, as well as technologies for recycling and productizing these materials. The goal is to create a system that can automatically separate and sort textile materials with over 95% accuracy. The plan is to support the reuse of recycled materials in clothing and automotive interior components.
Additionally, 48 billion won has been allocated for the development of technologies to secure high-quality raw materials from waste tires and to productize them. The plan includes enhancing the technology to recover high-quality recycled carbon black through the pulverization and pyrolysis of waste tires. The goal is to increase the proportion of recycled carbon black used in new tire production from less than 5% to over 15%.
The government expects that if this technology development is successfully implemented, it will strengthen the domestic resource recycling system and proactively respond to international environmental regulations while achieving national greenhouse gas reduction targets (NDC). The industry is already aligning with this initiative, with companies like Hankook Tire working to secure high-quality raw materials from waste tires.
Kim Go-eung, Director of the Resource Recycling Bureau at the Ministry of Climate, stated, "This R&D project will serve as a catalyst for the circular economy, transforming textiles and tires, which are often considered difficult to recycle, into new products. We will actively support the entire process of technology development to ensure that the research outcomes take root in the field and expand into the recycling industry."
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute announced on July 2 that they will launch a national research and development (R&D) project to recycle used textiles and tires into high-quality resources. The government plans to allocate a total of 73 billion won over the next five years, starting this year and continuing until 2030.
Currently, recycling used textiles in South Korea is challenging due to the complex materials such as polyester and nylon, as well as the difficulty in separating zippers and buttons. Most collected used clothing is either exported overseas or used in some construction materials. Similarly, over 60% of the waste tires generated are used as thermal raw materials, such as solid recovered fuel (SRF).
The issue is that global regulations will tighten starting next year. The EU is set to implement the Eco-Design Regulation (ESPR) in July 2024, with full enforcement expected by the second half of 2028. Once the law is in effect, manufacturers will be required to use a certain percentage of recycled materials in their products.
In response, the Ministry of Climate will invest 25 billion won to establish a resource recycling system. This includes developing an AI-based automated system for separating and sorting used textiles, as well as technologies for recycling and productizing these materials. The goal is to create a system that can automatically separate and sort textile materials with over 95% accuracy. The plan is to support the reuse of recycled materials in clothing and automotive interior components.
Additionally, 48 billion won has been allocated for the development of technologies to secure high-quality raw materials from waste tires and to productize them. The plan includes enhancing the technology to recover high-quality recycled carbon black through the pulverization and pyrolysis of waste tires. The goal is to increase the proportion of recycled carbon black used in new tire production from less than 5% to over 15%.
The government expects that if this technology development is successfully implemented, it will strengthen the domestic resource recycling system and proactively respond to international environmental regulations while achieving national greenhouse gas reduction targets (NDC). The industry is already aligning with this initiative, with companies like Hankook Tire working to secure high-quality raw materials from waste tires.
Kim Go-eung, Director of the Resource Recycling Bureau at the Ministry of Climate, stated, "This R&D project will serve as a catalyst for the circular economy, transforming textiles and tires, which are often considered difficult to recycle, into new products. We will actively support the entire process of technology development to ensure that the research outcomes take root in the field and expand into the recycling industry."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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