South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment began a voluntary separate-discharge scheme for paper packs such as milk cartons from October 2026 across 144,000 apartment complexes subject to mandatory waste management, ahead of a compulsory separation rule planned for next year. A cooperation agreement signed 21 September 2026 commits dairy producers, recyclers including Hansol Paper and Ssangyong C&B, and pack manufacturers to share recovery, sorting and recycling costs and improve pack recyclability. South Korea's paper pack recovery rate had fallen to 13% in 2023 from 19.9% in 2019.
Why this mattersA cost-sharing recycling scheme could improve feedstock quality for paper-pack recyclers and may foreshadow wider producer-responsibility rules in Korean packaging.
- Voluntary separate discharge of paper packs began October 2026 across 144,000 mandatory-management apartment complexes in South Korea.
- Mandatory separation of paper packs is planned for apartments from next year.
- Cooperation agreement signed 21 September 2026 between the environment ministry, dairy producers Seoul Milk and Maeil Dairy, recyclers Hansol Paper and Ssangyong C&B, pack manufacturers and the Korea Packaging Recycling Business Mutual Aid Association.
- Signatories share recovery, sorting and recycling costs, while manufacturers are to develop more easily recyclable pack designs.
- South Korea's paper pack recovery and recycling rate fell from 19.9% in 2019 to 13% in 2023.
- A guideline change removes the prior exception allowing disposal in paper bins where no dedicated collection box exists.
- Mandatory separate collection of paper cartons at the regulated apartment complexes takes effect 1 January 2027.
- The 21 September 2026 agreement was signed at Hansol Paper's Daejeon plant.
- Carton makers SIG Combibloc Korea and Tetra Pak committed to redesigning packs for recyclability and upgrading optical-sorting facilities.
South Korea's Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment will require large apartment complexes to sort paper cartons such as milk packs separately from regular waste starting 1 January 2027. A voluntary pilot covering roughly 144,000 complexes of 300 or more households begins next month, backed by a memorandum of understanding signed on 21 September 2026 with carton producers Tetra Pak, SIG Combibloc Korea, Hansol Paper and Ssangyong C&B, dairy groups Seoul Milk and Maeil Dairy, and industry recycling bodies. Signatories will share collection and sorting costs, fund optical sorting equipment and commit to design changes to improve recyclability.
Why this mattersA binding sorting mandate and cost-sharing scheme could raise recycling rates and recycled pulp supply, pressuring carton makers to redesign for recyclability ahead of similar EPR moves elsewhere.
- South Korea's Ministry of Climate Energy and Environment will make separate disposal of paper cartons mandatory in large apartment complexes from 1 January 2027
- A voluntary pilot begins next month (October 2026) across about 144,000 apartment complexes with 300 or more households
- The ministry signed an MOU on 21 September 2026 at the Hansol Paper Daejeon plant with Seoul Milk, Maeil Dairy, Hansol Paper, Ssangyong C&B, SIG Combibloc Korea, Tetra Pak and industry bodies
- Producers including Seoul Milk and Maeil Dairy will share collection, sorting and recycling costs and increase purchases of recycled paper products
- Signatories will fund optical sorting machine installations and design-stage recyclability improvements
- Hansol Paper already operates carton-recycling equipment at its Daejeon plant, producing recycled pulp for paperboard and other paper products
- Cartons are currently often mixed with general waste paper or discarded in volume-based waste bags, limiting recycling rates
- Paper pack manufacturers will fund technology to improve recyclability from the design stage and advance optical sorting systems
- Recycling industry partners will select high-quality paper packs and produce recycled paper products
- Korea Packaging Recycling Business Mutual Aid Association and the Korea Circulation Resource Distribution Support Center will provide public relations, performance tracking and recycling subsidies
- Hansol Paper's own announcement dates the signing to 22 September 2026 at its Daejeon plant.
- Recovered cartons under the pact will be converted at Daejeon into recycled pulp and paper products including whiteboard paperboard.
- Daejeon plant is described as Korea's largest whiteboard (paperboard) production base
- Collected cartons will be converted into recycled pulp for whiteboard and other paper product feedstock
- Additional signatories named: Paper Carton Recycling Council, Korea Packaging Recycling Business Cooperative and Korea Resource Circulation Service Support Center
- Tetra Pak runs separate pilot carton-collection schemes with several Korean cities and districts, plus IoT collection bins in supermarkets.
- Tetra Pak separately runs carton separation pilots with local municipalities in South Korea
- Tetra Pak has installed IoT aseptic carton collection units in South Korean supermarkets
