SK Chemicals is taking steps to establish a collaborative system for a circular economy focused on used banners.
On October 6, SK Chemicals announced the formation of the 'Used Banner Resource Recycling Task Force' in partnership with MOA, Daehan Media, Upclose, and the Resource Recycling Team of Seogwipo City, Jeju, based on a project proposed during the 'Social Value Festa' idea solvers' competition hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety.
The participating organizations will be responsible for collecting used banners in their respective regions and will utilize their expertise in preprocessing, product development, and distribution to establish a comprehensive recycling process in collaboration with SK Chemicals.
MOA and Daehan Media will handle collection in the Gyeongsang region, Upclose will manage the Honam area, and Seogwipo City will oversee collection in Jeju. Upclose, which has experience in operating collection and sorting systems based on self-sufficiency centers, will also promote job creation linked to the employment of self-sufficient and disabled individuals.
The collected used banners will be preprocessed by MOA to ensure they meet the appropriate form and quality for chemical recycling, after which SK Chemicals will utilize its depolymerization technology to convert them back into raw materials. These materials will then be produced into new banner fabric. Daehan Media will participate in the production of recycled banner fabric and will leverage its national sales network to supply it to various regions.
As the only local government involved, Seogwipo City will work to ensure that the collection and recycling of used banners can be conducted locally by improving relevant regulations.
SK Chemicals estimates that over 1,000 tons of used banners are generated annually in the Yeongnam, Honam, and Jeju regions. The company believes that establishing a regional resource recycling system will reduce the amount of used banners sent to landfills and incineration.
Used banners, often utilized for events and elections, have historically been disposed of through landfilling or incineration. While there have been instances of upcycling into eco-bags or waste bags, these efforts have typically resulted in only a single cycle of recycling.
According to the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, approximately 6,000 tons of used banners are generated annually in South Korea, with about 70% of them being landfilled or incinerated.
SK Chemicals plans to establish a circular structure that returns used banners to raw materials for new banners using its depolymerization technology. This method involves breaking down waste plastics to the molecular level and then re-polymerizing them, allowing for chemical recycling.
Unlike physical recycling, which involves grinding, washing, and remelting, the depolymerization process minimizes the impact of previous usage history, color, and impurities, making it applicable to various types of waste plastics, including fabric-based used banners. The process also features relatively low quality degradation during repeated recycling.
Through this initiative, SK Chemicals aims to create a circular model that repurposes locally generated used banners back into local resources. The company plans to standardize the collection and sorting systems and regulatory frameworks before expanding to other regions.
An SK Chemicals representative stated, "Used banners represent a common waste issue faced by many communities, but collection systems and conditions vary by region. We will collaborate with participating organizations to establish a regional circular system and create examples of reusing used banners as new banners."
Meanwhile, SK Chemicals began recruiting partners for the establishment of a circular economy for used banners in July.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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