SK Global Chemical announced on May 31 that SK Global Chemical CEO Na Kyung-soo attended the P4G (Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030) Seoul Summit held from May 30th to 31st to represent the company at the panel discussion of the Circular Economy session.
The Summit served as a global acceleration event to pursue climate action and sustainable development. This year, P4G Seoul Summit focused on the theme “Inclusive Green Recovery Towards Carbon Neutrality.” It included a series of leaders’ sessions, breakout sessions, and thematic sessions targeting 5 main sectors: Water, Energy, Food and Agriculture, Cities, and Circular Economy.
The Circular Economy session dealt with Zero Waste policies, technologies, and applicable green practices across different sectors including governments and businesses. SK Global Chemical CEO Na Kyung-soo participated in the panel discussion of this session. CEO Na shared the company’s Green Business practices including its key strategy “3R” (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), which was designed to establish a plastic waste circulation system, and put forward solutions to global plastic wastes and measures toward an eco-friendly plastic ecosystem.
“SK Global Chemical’s objective is to re-circulate plastic wastes, which will lead to an eco-friendly plastic ecosystem. With a focus on developing core technologies, the company is strongly pushing ahead with Green Business," said CEO Na Kyung-soo. "In addition, the company will do its part for the establishment of an eco-friendly plastic ecosystem by making 100% of its future plastic products directly and indirectly recyclable.”
“As a means to boost plastic recycling, SK Global Chemical is considering commercializing its pyrolysis liquefaction technology, where plastic bottle and vinyl wastes are decomposed with heat into a petrochemical raw material (fuel oil) through strategic partnership with global pyrolysis businesses,” CEO Na explained.
CEO Na further added, “From the perspective of a corporate, profits must be generated in order to achieve a circular economy,” added CEO Na. “We should improve plastic manufacturing processes through development of eco-friendly plastic manufacturing technologies and capital investments, making the products more competitive in terms of price, while saving costs of Certified Emission Reductions by cutting down CO2 emissions during the manufacturing processes through chemical recycling methods such as pyrolysis.”
“All businesses in the value chain including plastic raw materials and product manufacturers, and distributors and recycling companies should come forward and work together to accelerate the growth of the eco-friendly plastic market,” He also emphasized.
Vice President & Regional Director for Africa, World Resources Institute (WRI), Wanjira Mathai said, Africa is seeing a surge of wastes since the outbreak of COVID-19 and its inadequate waste management system has had negative impacts on the environment and humans. She continued by suggesting all sectors step up and work together to reach circular economy and find the cross-sector linkages to establish a circulation system.”
Chief of UN Environment’s Resources & Markets Branch at the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Steven Stone stated that UNEP will assist governments to draw up circular economy policies and raise awareness across developing countries.
SK Global Chemical CEO Na Kyung-soo emphasized, “We need to build a circular economy through partnering and we cannot achieve it alone.” “SK Global Chemical will come up with fundamental measures to stamp out plastic waste from its production to recycling in partnership with stakeholders, leading to successful implementation of a plastic circulation system.”
