South Korea launches voluntary paper-pack sorting with Hansol Paper as recycler
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.