The government will support the demonstration of technologies to recover key minerals from semiconductor process byproducts, waste batteries, and solar panel waste. It is also promoting a project to secure sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) raw materials from food waste.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced on September 15 that it will recruit participants for three planned regulatory exemption projects in the circular economy sector from September 16 to October 30. The projects focus on establishing management standards for circular resources from semiconductor process byproducts, recovering key minerals from waste batteries and solar panel waste, and diversifying sources of SAF raw materials.
The circular economy regulatory exemption allows companies to demonstrate new technologies and services in a limited period, location, and scale. If safety and effectiveness are proven, related regulations can be improved. This system was introduced in January 2024, and 63 projects have received exemptions to date.
This time, the government is taking a planned approach by proposing projects first and then recruiting suitable participants. This initiative aims to secure key minerals from domestic waste resources in response to supply chain instability and competition for resource acquisition.
In the semiconductor sector, technologies will be demonstrated to recover silicon, copper, and titanium from materials such as silicon and metal targets used in processes. Although these byproducts contain valuable minerals, the domestic recycling system has not been sufficiently established. The government will grant exemptions from waste regulations during the demonstration period and verify the harmfulness and economic viability of the processing methods. Based on this, it plans to establish usage and standards for managing these byproducts as circular resources.
In the waste battery and solar panel sectors, the government will support companies that possess new resource recovery technologies but face challenges in commercialization due to existing recycling standards or the lack of separate criteria. Expanding the recycling of key minerals could reduce the demand for new mining. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that increasing recycling could decrease the need for new mining developments by 35% for copper and cobalt, over 20% for lithium, and 15% for nickel by 2050.
In the aviation fuel sector, the government will explore the potential use of food waste classified as cooking oil waste, which has limited recycling applications. This is a measure to diversify raw material sources in preparation for the implementation of SAF blending obligations next year. After demonstrating the collection and traceability of food waste and the feasibility of recovering oil, the government will consider establishing new waste classification numbers and recycling types.
Interested participants can apply through the one-stop service for environmental technology industries. The government will review the alignment with the projects and the specificity of the business plans, and after deliberation and approval by the pre-review committee and the review committee, exemptions will be granted. Approved participants will conduct demonstrations for a basic period of two years, extendable up to four years. The maximum demonstration project cost supported is 120 million won, with a maximum of 20 million won for liability insurance. Legal reviews will also be provided if necessary.
Kim Go-eung, Director of the Resource Circulation Bureau at the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment, stated, "Securing key minerals, essential materials for advanced industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), is directly linked to national competitiveness. We will promote diverse support for recovering key minerals from waste resources, including planned projects for future waste resources, and improve the system accordingly."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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