Lotte Chemical Develops Korea's First FDA-Certified PCR-PP (Recycled Polypropylene) Material

Development of PCR-PP Material Suitable for Cosmetic and Food Containers

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoonju Hwang] Lotte Chemical has developed PCR-PP (post-consumer recycled polypropylene) material, which can be applied to cosmetic and food containers for the first time in Korea.

This material is made by collecting used cosmetic containers from consumers and converting them into plastic recycled raw materials that can be reused. It undergoes a processing procedure that meets FDA safety standards to be reborn as PCR-PP.

PCR-PP has been developed in grades containing 30% and 50% plastic recycled raw materials according to customer requests, and it has completed FDA certification for use in cosmetic and food containers for the first time in Korea. Currently, physical property tests have been completed with domestic and international cosmetic container manufacturers, and full-scale supply is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.

The global cosmetic industry at home and abroad is promoting policies to increase the use of cosmetic packaging made from recycled materials or plastic recycled raw materials up to 100% by 2025, and to expand products made from recycled plastic raw materials up to 50%.

With growing interest in developing sustainable packaging containers, the use of PCR-PP in cosmetic containers is expected to expand. Currently, about 60% of domestic cosmetic containers use plastic materials, and it is estimated that about 30% of these are made of polypropylene (PP) material.

Lotte Chemical is promoting Project LOOP company-wide to establish a plastic circular system, developing recycled plastic materials (rPET, rPP, rABS, rPC), and applying recycled PC (Polycarbonate) and recycled ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) materials to household appliances such as mobile phones and TVs, contributing to extending the lifecycle of plastics.

CEO Kyohyun Kim stated, "With this development, the recycled plastic market applying PCR-PP materials is expected to expand not only in cosmetic containers but also in food containers and other industrial fields in Korea," adding, "Lotte Chemical will do its best to expand the supply and development of recycled plastic materials and contribute to creating a plastic circular economy culture to generate better social value."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.