[Courtesy of SK Chemicals]
The platform will be released to the public on May 30. SK chemicals would provide a material experience kit made of its sustainable packing solution (SPS) material to brand companies. AI image search services and information on molding companies will be provided to help customers select desired cosmetic containers.
Sustainable packaging is any type of eco-friendly material used to wrap, store, ship or shelve products. Eco-friendly packaging includes recyclable materials that can be shredded, pulped, or melted down and remolded to begin anew as raw material for packaging or other uses.
"In order to build a plastic circulation ecosystem, we need to create an environment where industry stakeholders can grow together through various technologies and information disclosure," Jung Jae-jun, head of SK chemicals' new business development department, said in a statement on May 18. The company would expand services to the plastic product market for various purposes.
Plastic products are broken down into microscopic sizes but they still remain in the environment. The accumulation of plastic waste has become a serious global problem. South Korea nurtures the white biotechnology industry that focuses on the creation and distribution of biodegradable bioplastics.
SK chemicals has stepped up efforts to produce eco-friendly materials, such as Skypet CR by using chemically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. Recycled PET bottles have been used to manufacture clothes, bags and shoes. Chemical recycling breaks down and returns plastic to its pure, raw material form. It is an attractive way to address the explosive growth of plastic waste and disposal problems.
The company has expanded a lineup of chemically recycled products including ECOTRIA CR, a copolyester brand that materializes functional characteristics unique to copolyesters, such as transparency, appearance, and chemical resistance while using just 50 percent of raw materials broken down through chemical recycling. It can be used for cosmetic containers, blister packaging, and decorative sheets that require high functionality and transparency.
In May 2022, SK chemicals completed a production line for PO3G (Polyoxytrimethylene Glycol), a polymer derived from biological raw materials, using fermented corn. The new material brand-named "Ecotrion" reduces greenhouse gas emissions and offers long durability. PO3G products would be mainly used for materials that require elasticity, such as polyurethane and spandex.
