CJ CheilJedang Applies Biodegradable Material to Packaging of 'Haengbokhan Kong Tofu'

Annual Reduction of 50 Tons of Plastic Through This Implementation
Part of 'ESG Management', Expansion of Eco-Friendly Packaging Use

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] CJ CheilJedang is introducing food packaging materials using biodegradable materials PHA and PLA (Poly Lactic Acid). This is the world's first application of food packaging vinyl using PHA in commercial products. PHA is a polymer substance accumulated inside cells by microorganisms consuming plant-derived components, and it has the characteristic of decomposing in almost all environments, including soil and marine environments. While PLA, a biodegradable plastic, decomposes under composting conditions (industrial biodegradation), PHA biodegrades 100% even in the ocean. PLA is a biodegradable plastic material made from corn starch.

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 1st that it applied transparent vinyl made from naturally decomposable materials to the bundled product "Haengbokhan Kong Tofu." As part of eco-friendly management, it replaces existing petrochemical packaging materials with eco-friendly materials, which is expected to reduce plastic usage by about 50 tons annually.

A total of 10 products use biodegradable material packaging, with 4 made from a blend of PHA and PLA, and 6 made solely from PLA. The phrase "Eco-friendly biodegradable packaging thinking of the Earth" is printed on the exterior so consumers can easily recognize it.

CJ CheilJedang created a qualitatively enhanced biodegradable vinyl by utilizing the characteristics of PHA and PLA. While PLA has high strength but lacks flexibility, mixing PHA, which has rubber-like properties, makes it soft yet resistant to tearing. Attention was also paid to maintaining the transparency of the vinyl so that the freshness of the product can be visually confirmed.

Notably, this development was achieved through collaboration among domestic companies with top packaging technology in the eco-friendly material field. CJ CheilJedang is one of the very few companies worldwide with mass production capability of PHA, SKC has a global top-level PLA film production base, and Woosung Chemical has strengths in compounding, processing mixtures of two or more biodegradable materials.

As part of strengthening 'ESG management,' CJ CheilJedang plans to continuously expand eco-friendly packaging using biodegradable materials. Within this year, it will establish a dedicated PHA production facility with a capacity of 5,000 tons in Indonesia and apply eco-friendly materials in various ways, such as replacing packaging materials of some products with PHA materials.

A CJ CheilJedang official stated, "Centered on our competitive packaging center, we have actively engaged in eco-friendly activities, reducing more than 300 tons of plastic packaging for gift sets during last year's Chuseok and this year's Seollal alone," adding, "We will further strengthen research and development and commercialization of eco-friendly packaging materials and make our best efforts to fulfill corporate social responsibility."

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