Czech waste management representatives presented their solutions in South Korea
06.12.2024 / 02:25 | Aktualizováno: 06.12.2024 / 02:52
Seven representatives from Czech companies, government agencies and universities providing a wide range of environmental and waste management solutions presented themselves to their potential partners in South Korea at the beginning of December as part of an economic diplomacy project. The Korean representatives had the opportunity to get acquainted with the best that the Czech Republic offers in this segment. The issue of waste management is becoming more and more topical not only in the world, but also in Korea, and this brings further opportunities for our companies.
The total amount of waste generated in South Korea in 2022 was 493,927 tonnes per day, a decrease of approximately 5.8% from the previous year. The waste is treated through landfill (4.7%), incineration (5.0%), recycling (87.6%) and other methods (2.8%). According to PwC estimates, the size of the global circular economy market is expected to reach US$4.5 trillion by 2030 and that, for example, the battery recycling market will grow to a value of US$15.4 billion and the plastics recycling market to a value of US$63.8 billion by 2027. The South Korean government is actively promoting projects to expand circular resource use, create circular economy clusters, establish a certification system for recycled materials, discover and support start-up companies, implement a capacity efficiency system and ensure competitiveness in sectors such as circular economy, petrochemicals, iron and steel/non-ferrous metals, batteries, electronics, textiles and automotive/engineering. The so-called Big Three are active in the Korean waste treatment market. This includes SK Ecoplant, ECORBIT and IS DONGSEO. In addition, there is also an increasing emphasis on working with start-ups that use innovative technologies to collect and transport waste.
Seven representatives from Czech companies, government agencies and universities providing a wide range of environmental and waste management solutions arrived in Seoul in early December to present their solutions ranging from packaging materials to polymer research. The visit took place within the framework of an economic diplomacy project funded by the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic. The B2B event, organised under the auspices of the Czech Ambassador to Korea, Ivan Jančárek, featured a range of activities, from a matchmaking seminar to presentations from both Czech and South Korean experts on current trends in this field in both countries. The delegation's programme also included a visit to a unique underground waste treatment facility in Hanam - Union Tower.
Further important information on this issue can be found from the links below:
1. Korea Environment Corporation: https://www.keco.or.kr/en/
2. Ministry of Environment of Republic of Korea: https://eng.me.go.kr/eng/web/main.do
Business meetings
Visiting Union Tower
V případě zájmu mohou české společnosti kontaktovat obchodní oddělení zastupitelského úřadu ČR v Soulu na adrese seoul.commerce@mzv.gov.cz.
Jakub Kopecký, head of the economic section at the Czech Embassy Seoul