Hansol Paper Becomes First in Industry to Receive GR Certification for White Board Made from Recycled Aseptic Packs

Government-Guaranteed Eco-Friendliness System

Hansol Paper announced on July 9 that its white board product, made by recycling aseptic packs, has become the first in the industry to receive GR certification from the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The GR (Good Recycled) certification is a government program that guarantees the quality and eco-friendliness of products. Introduced in 1997, its purpose is to enhance consumer trust in recycled products and to vitalize the market. The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards comprehensively evaluates domestically produced recycled products for strength, durability, recycled material content, and reduction of hazardous substances, among other environmental factors, before granting certification.

The white board product from Hansol Paper that received GR certification is used as packaging for a variety of items, including household goods, processed foods, and cosmetics. This product uses more than 65% recycled materials, with over 10% of its raw materials coming specifically from recycled aseptic packs.

Aseptic packs (paper packs made of pulp, synthetic resin, and aluminum) are more difficult to recycle than standard packs (milk cartons made of pulp and synthetic resin) because they have an added aluminum layer inside to block air. This makes them a challenging material to recycle and difficult to collect separately, resulting in a domestic recycling rate of less than 2% as of the article's publication date.

In 2023, Hansol Paper invested 7 billion KRW to introduce paper pack recycling facilities, thereby increasing the recycling rate of aseptic packs. The company used these recycled materials to produce high-quality white board, effectively giving new life to the resource. This achievement was highly regarded for establishing a virtuous resource circulation system and contributing to the realization of a sustainable resource circulation society, leading to the acquisition of GR certification.

Additionally, Hansol Paper developed a technology to separate polyal (a composite material of plastic and aluminum) generated during the process of using aseptic packs as white board raw material, and to use it as a raw material for plastic pallets. Through these efforts, the company is actively working to establish a zero-waste resource circulation system by recycling aseptic packs in multiple ways.

A Hansol Paper representative stated, "We are honored that the acquisition of GR certification acknowledges Hansol Paper's eco-friendly technology and commitment to ESG management," adding, "We will continue to lead the way in building a sustainable resource circulation ecosystem based on our resource recycling technology and expertise."

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