With the corona 19, the number of recycled products has surged and the road to export has become a social issue. There is growing concern that the waste collection crisis that was triggered by China's suspension of imports of recycled waste in 2018 will be repeated.

One recycling waste collector said that plastic and vinyl waste has increased more than 1.5 times since the recent corona crisis, as food delivery and grocery shipments have increased significantly. The problem is that as the cost of making new plastics becomes cheaper due to falling oil prices, the demand for recycled raw materials has contracted significantly and the value of recycled waste is falling.

The price of'PET' recycled waste used in water bottles, etc., has fallen to about one-third of that of Corona. Collectors say that if this situation persists, they cannot afford to meet the balance and must give up recycling.

Recycling waste sorting companies say that plastic wastes such as disposable coffee cups and lunch boxes that have exploded since Corona have increased significantly, but 30-40% of them are being thrown into incinerators. The reality is that the waste is recycled and paid for 100,000 won per sour.

Recyclable clothing has also been piled up in every warehouse since the road to overseas exports has been blocked since March. One company said that it is in danger of closing out sooner or later as it costs 300 million won per month only for old clothes purchase, transportation and labor costs.

Since old clothes and waste paper account for nearly 80% of the total recycling waste import structure, it is becoming difficult to handle other recycled waste. Recycling wastes lead to a collection-screening-recycling structure, and even the'August collection crisis' has emerged due to a decrease in the value of recycled raw materials due to low oil prices.

This week's newsletter highlights the rapidly growing recycling problem after Corona and alternatives to stop the trash crisis.