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Advancements in Chemical Recycling Catalysts for Plastic Waste in South Korea
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This review surveys South Korea's research and industrial progress in developing catalysts for the chemical recycling of plastics, covering depolymerization of PET and polycarbonate as well as catalytic pyrolysis of polyolefins like PE, PP, and PS. Given South Korea's high per-capita plastic consumption, the review highlights the country's strategic push to convert plastic waste back into high-purity monomers and fuels.
Plastics are widely used in various industries because of their light weight, low cost, and high durability. The mass production and consumption of plastics have led to a rapid increase in plastic waste problem, necessitating the development of effective recycling technologies. The chemical recycling of plastics has emerged as a promising strategy to address these challenges, enabling the conversion of plastic waste into high-purity monomers or oils, even from contaminated or mixed plastic feedstock. This review focuses on the development of catalysts for the chemical recycling of plastics in South Korea, which has one of the highest per capita plastic consumption rates and both academic and industrial efforts in this field. We examine catalytic depolymerization processes for recovering monomers from polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC), as well as catalytic pyrolysis processes for polyolefins, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). By summarizing recent academic research and industrial initiatives in South Korea, this review highlights the strategic role of the country in advancing chemical recycling. Moreover, this review proposes future research directions including the development of reusable catalysts, energy-efficient recycling process, and strategies for recycling mixed or contaminated plastic waste.
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This review paper rounds up scientific progress on turning plastic waste into new chemicals and materials—instead of just melting it down into lower-quality plastic (what most "recycling" does today, and only for 9% of waste). Better recycling methods matter for your health because plastic that isn't properly processed often ends up in landfills, oceans, or breaking down into microplastics that contaminate our food, water, and even our bodies. These emerging chemical methods could help close the loop on plastic waste, though the researchers note real challenges remain before this happens at scale, including cost and technical hurdles.
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Researchers reviewed catalytic approaches to breaking down plastic waste — including homogeneous, heterogeneous, biocatalytic, photocatalytic, and plasma-assisted methods — cataloguing the mechanistic pathways, catalyst design strategies, and emerging technologies needed to convert polyethylene, polystyrene, PET, and polypropylene into reusable monomers and fuels.
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This review examines the current state of plastic recycling in South Korea, identifying barriers including small recycling company sizes, low recycling yields, and poor public perception. Improving recycling infrastructure is important for keeping plastics out of the environment where they fragment into microplastics.
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