South Korea Revises the Food Packaging Material Requirements

On September 7, 2021, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) unveiled the latest version of Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages¹. The main amendments are:

1. New Standards of Recycled Synthetic Resin (To be effective on January 1, 2022.)

As the Ministry of Environment (MOF) will set about recycling colorless PET bottles after January 2022, MFDS joins up with MOE to promote the PET material recycling. In an effort to prevent the risky hazardous materials migrated to food from the packaging, MFDS rolled out the requirements of recycled PET materials.

This Standard permits recycled PET materials prepared by physical technology to be used as the raw materials of synthetic resin for manufacturing food utensils, containers, and packages. In this situation, the recycled materials shall also comply with the standards of recycled materials for food packaging designated by MOE, such as the Wastes Control Act².

2. Standards of Functional Container and Package

To promote the technological development and meet the industry demands, MFDS brought out a new concept of functional packaging named "active and smart container/package ( 활성·지능 용기·포장)". It refers to the containers or packages which can help food remain fresh for longer. The packaging's material shouldn't be migrated into the food unless it's an active ingredient made from food or food additives.

3. Re-categorizing of Synthetic Resin

39 kinds of synthetic resins are grouped into 9 categories according to their material properties:

Category	Material Name (Korean)	Material Name (English)
Olefins	에틸렌-초산비닐 공중합체		ethylene-vinylacetate copolymer	EVA
	폴리메틸펜텐		polymethylpentene	PMP
	폴리부텐		polybutene-1	PB-1
	폴리비닐알코올		poly(vinyl alcohol)	PVA
	폴리에틸렌		polyethylene	PE
	폴리프로필렌		polypropylene	PP
Esters	경화폴리에스터수지		cross-linked polyester resin	-
	부틸렌숙시네이트 공중합체		butylenesuccinate copolymer	PBS
	부틸렌숙시네이트-아디페이트 공중합체		butylenesuccinate-adipate copolymer	PBSA
	폴리부틸렌테레프탈레이트		poly(butylene terephthalate)	PBT
	폴리시클로헥산-1,4-디메틸렌테레프탈레이트		poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene terephthalate)	PCT
	폴리아릴레이트		polyarylate	PAR
	폴리에틸렌나프탈레이트		poly(ethylene naphthalate)	PEN
	폴리에틸렌테레프탈레이트		poly(ethylene terephthalate)	PET
	폴리락타이드		polylactide, poly(lactic acid)	PLA
	폴리카보네이트		polycarbonate	PC
	히드록시부틸폴리에스테르		hydroxybutyl polyester	HBP
	히드록시안식향산폴리에스테르		hydroxybenzoic acid polyester	-
Styrene	메틸메타크릴레이트-아크릴로니트릴-부타디엔-스티렌 공중합체		methylmethacrylate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer	MABS
	아크릴로니트릴-부타디엔-스티렌 공중합체		acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer	ABS
	아크릴로니트릴-스티렌 공중합체		acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer	AS
	폴리메타크릴스티렌		polymethacrylstyrene	MS
	폴리스티렌		polystyrene	PS
Amines	폴리아미드		polyamide	PA
	폴리우레탄		polyurethane	PU
	폴리이미드		polyimide	PI
Acrylics	아크릴수지		acrylic resin	-
	이오노머수지		ionomeric resin	-
	폴리아크릴로니트릴		polyacrylonitrile	PAN
Aldehydes	멜라민수지		melamine-formaldehyde resin	MF
	요소수지		urea-formaldehyde resin	UF
	페놀수지		phenol-formaldehyde resin	PF
	폴리아세탈		polyacetal, polyoxymethylene	POM
Ethers	폴리아릴설폰		polyacrylsulfone	PASF
	폴리에테르에테르케톤		polyetheretherketone	PEEK
	폴리에테르설폰		poly(ether sulfone)	PES
	폴리페닐렌설파이드		poly(phenylene sulfide)	PPS
	폴리페닐렌에테르		poly(phenylene ether)	PPE
Vinyl chlorides	폴리염화비닐		poly(vinyl chloride)	PVC
	폴리염화비닐리덴		poly(vinylidene chloride)	PVDC
Others	불소수지		fluorocarbon resin	FR
	에폭시수지		epoxy resin	-
	폴리케톤		polyketone	PK

4. Other Amendments

(a) The specifications for paper and other materials are organized in tabular formats that are easier for enterprises to understand.

(b) Polyketone is newly added under the category of synthetic resin material. Its temporary standard is regarded as a formal standard as well.

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