Kang Ho-sung, CEO of Samyang Corporation, a chemical and food subsidiary company of the Samyang Group, announced on January 11 that the company has developed recycled polycarbonate (PCR PC, Post -Consumer Recycled Polycarbonate) raw materials of more than 90% of environmentally friendly polycarbonate (PC). PC is an engineering plastic with transparency, impact resistance, and heat resistance. It is mainly used for interior and exterior decoration materials of automobiles and home appliances, sound insulation walls, and medical device parts.
PCR PC is made through the compounding process of mixing a certain proportion of recycled PC raw materials with new PC raw materials, which requires high-level technical capabilities and core technologies. In the process of manufacturing PC, in addition to adding polymer synthetic resins, flame retardants, reinforcing agents and dyes are also added to improve performance and aesthetics. These additives will change during the high-temperature melting process, resulting in a decrease in the inherent physical properties of PC. Therefore, the maximum content of recycled PC raw materials in PCR PCs developed by Korean companies in the past is 85%. Most commercially available PCR PCs contain around 30% to 50% recycled PC raw material.
Samyang Corporation started to develop PCR PC last year. After just over two years, it successfully developed a PCR PC with more than 90% recycled PC raw materials, and has inherent physical properties of PC such as heat resistance, transparency, and impact resistance. . This is the result of redesigning and optimizing the ratio of recycled raw materials and additives in the mixing process from multiple perspectives based on the core technology of PC development accumulated over the years. Securing a supply of high-quality recycled PC raw materials with pollution and foreign matter management in place also plays a big role.
PCR PC is an environmentally friendly material that reduces plastic waste and brings carbon savings as energy usage decreases. Samyang Corporation stated that compared with ordinary PCs, the PCR PC developed this time has the effect of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 6,200 tons based on the production of 1,000 tons. This is equivalent to the carbon emissions emitted by more than 3,200 cars every year.
The eco-friendliness of Samyang Corporation’s related materials was recognized by UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a U.S. safety standard development and certification organization, and thus obtained the “ECV (Environmental Claims Validations)” certification. ECV is an environmental label issued to verify the feasibility of product environmental protection claims such as reusable and recycled material usage. At the same time, it has also reached the highest level “V-0” standard of “UL 94” test for vertical combustion evaluation. UL 94 is a flame retardancy test developed by UL, and V-0 is only awarded to plastics that self-extinguish within 10 seconds when burned vertically.
Samyang Corporation plans to apply it to small home appliances such as notebook computers first, and expand the scope of application to electronic products, interior products and other fields in the future. At the same time, it is also planned to continue to expand the application range of PCR PC to various other plastic resins such as ABS and PBT.
Kang Ho-sung, CEO of Samyang Corporation, said, “There are only a handful of companies in the world that can produce PCR PC products that contain more than 90% recycled plastic materials and have the same physical properties as conventional PCs. We will continue to expand high-quality environmentally friendly products. group, meet the needs of the global market, and contribute to the improvement of the Group’s ESG competitiveness.”
Samyang Group formulated its mid-to-long-term growth strategy “Vision 2025” last year, and promoted the growth strategy of “environmentally friendly and distinctive”. Samyang Corporation developed an environmentally friendly transparent flame-retardant PC without adding flame retardants in July this year, and produces and sells base resins and composite products. In August, it signed a supply contract for plastic pellets (Pellet) made from recycled fishing nets, expanding its environmental protection business portfolio.
In November, Samyang Innochem established the first production plant in Korea to produce 15,000 tons of eco-friendly biomass material “Isosorbide” at its Gunsan factory, officially launching the eco-friendly plastic business. In terms of packaging business, it has invested approximately KRW 43 billion in the Sihwa Plant, and has expanded its waste plastic recycling business with a 21,000-ton recycling PET chip production facility.
