South Korea requires 10% recycled PET for plastic beverage bottles
On September 16, 2025, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment announced mandatory recycled content targets for specific producers of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles starting January 1, 2026.
Under the revised Enforcement Decree of the Resource Recycling Act, bottled water and non-alcoholic beverage producers that fill or manufacture more than 5000 tons of colorless PET bottles a year must ensure that at least 10% of their PET comes from recycled sources. The thresholds will decrease, and the recycled PET targets will gradually increase so that by 2030, producers filling or manufacturing more than 1000 tons of colorless PET bottles a year will need to source at least 30% recycled PET content. An estimated 10 manufacturers will be affected by this new requirement.
PET recycling processes have been widely established due to the demand for and availability of PET bottles. However, PET filled with non-food materials, non-food-contact grade PET, and other types of polymers in the recycling stream can lead to contamination with non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) that have the potential to harm human and environmental health (FPF reported).
To try and avoid NIAS, the Ministry of Environment states that it will certify the PET collection, sorting, and recycling processes. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety will also certify the safety of the PET material for use as food contact material. Producers will only be allowed to use certified recycled material in their colorless PET bottles.
Japan publishes plastic beverage bottle design criteria for certification
On July 24, 2025, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry shared the design requirements for plastic beverage bottles, household cleaning containers, and cosmetics packaging to be certified under the Plastic Resource Recycling Promotion Act of 2022, which established a system that grants certification to plastic-based products that are easily recyclable or contain less plastic. Certification is integrated into Japan’s Green Purchase Act and certified products are prioritized for government procurement, incentivizing companies to participate.
Starting January 24, 2026, colorless plastic beverage bottles that are made entirely from PET, including at least 15% recycled content, will be eligible for certification. The bottles must also have PVC-free caps and labels, and the labels must be easily removed during recycling. To receive certification, companies need to submit their products to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, meet all the design criteria, and make information about their products available to the public.
References
Ministry of Environment (September 16, 2025). “Notice on the Obligation to Use Recycled Plastic Raw Materials.” Government of South Korea (in Korean).
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (July 24, 2025). “Published the standards for design certification in four product areas based on the Design Guidelines for Products Using Plastics.” Government of Japan (in Japanese).
Read more
Charlotte Niemiec (September 24, 2025). “South Korea to set mandatory recycled content targets for plastic bottles.” Chemical Watch News & Insight.
Lee Jung-joo (September 16, 2025). “Korea is requiring drinks companies use recycled plastic in their bottles – but is it safe?” The Korea Herald.
Charlotte Niemiec (September 12, 2025). “Japan issues sustainable design criteria for plastic drinks bottles and household packaging.” Chemical Watch News & Insight.
Packaging Europe (September 10, 2025). “Japan reveals certification criteria for PET bottles, cosmetics and more.”
