SK Chemicals showcases recycling tech to Japanese business leaders

A delegation from the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives poses during a visit to SK Chemicals' plant in Ulsan, Friday. Courtesy of SK Chemicals

A delegation of Japanese business leaders visited SK Chemicals to see firsthand how the company is commercializing next-generation plastics recycling.

According to the company, the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives visited SK Chemicals’ plant in Ulsan on Friday, where they received a briefing on circular recycling technologies and toured production facilities.

The association is considered one of the three major economic organizations in the Kansai region, alongside the Kansai Economic Federation and the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The body comprises about 600 major companies, including Panasonic and Sony.

The visit, aimed at exchanging technologies and market trends in the recycled-plastics sector, brought together 37 executives and representatives from companies affiliated with the association’s Circular Economy Committee. Participants included hygiene and household products firm Saraya and All Nippon Airways.

During the visit, attendees were briefed on the entire recycling process — from collecting and sorting waste plastics to depolymerization, repolymerization, material production and application in finished goods. The delegation also toured manufacturing lines for copolyesters and reviewed quality-control procedures.

The association’s visit reflects growing interest in recyclable and sustainable materials in Japan’s manufacturing sector, as companies seek alternatives to conventional plastics. Policy discussions similar to those in Korea and the European Union are also underway in Japan, including potential mandates to increase recycled plastic usage in packaging and home appliances.

Yusuke Saraya, president and CEO of Saraya, said he was impressed by SK Chemicals’ readiness to commercialize its recycling technologies.

“At a time when most companies are still presenting recycled-plastics technologies as goals to be realized sometime in the future, I was impressed that SK Chemicals already has technologies and solutions ready for commercialization and immediate application,” he said.

“Depolymerization-based recycled materials that offer material properties, quality, and hygiene on par with petroleum-based plastics will be a compelling alternative to conventional materials in food and beverage packaging.”

SK Chemicals plans to step up marketing efforts in Japan as demand for recycled plastics accelerates.

Kim Hyun-seok, head of the company’s Recycling Business Division, said demand for chemically recycled PET in Japan grew more than fivefold last year.

“We will strengthen our position in the Japanese market by providing solutions tailored to customer needs in applications such as food and beverage containers and automotive interior materials,” he said.

The company has been expanding its recycling infrastructure globally. In 2023, it established a chemical recycling subsidiary in Shantou, Guangdong province, China, to commercially produce recycled materials. It also formed a joint venture in Shaanxi province — another Chinese province — to build facilities that convert waste plastics into feedstock and strengthen procurement capabilities.