Application of material flow analysis for plastic waste management in the Republic of Korea.

The indiscriminate use of plastics and careless management of plastic waste have caused serious environmental challenges globally. The Republic of Korea (ROK) aims to address the issue by reducing plastic waste generation by up to 50%, and increasing recycling rate by up to 70%, by 2030. To determine the status and future directions for plastic waste management in the ROK, the present study undertook two tasks: (i) a material flow analysis of plastic waste material from industrial sectors to assess the current status of plastic waste recycling and treatment, (ii) an analysis of the material flow of plastic waste based on the "Waste Classification Code.