South Korea will include plastic toys under its extended producer responsibility (EPR) recycling scheme from 2026, as part of efforts to boost resource circulation and reduce incineration and landfill waste. (17/12/2025)
Plastic toys had previously been classified as “difficult-to-recycle items” and were subject to waste disposal charges rather than mandatory recycling. Under the EPR system, producers meet their recycling obligations by paying contributions to a producer responsibility organisation, which then pays subsidies to recycling companies based on performance, according to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment.
Although most toys are made of plastic and are technically recyclable, they have often been recycled at low quality alongside other materials, or incinerated or landfilled, due to limited incentives for recyclers to sort them separately, the ministry said. Unclear disposal guidelines have also resulted in toys frequently being thrown away as general household waste.
The government has since 2019 piloted a toy recycling system through voluntary agreements with producer groups, setting annual recycling targets that were consistently exceeded.
Under the new rules, which kick off from 1 January 2026, 18 categories of toys – including activity, puzzle, block and assembly toys – will be covered by the EPR scheme. The standard recycling cost has been set at KRW343 ($0.26) per kilogramme, reflecting the costs of collection, transport, sorting and recycling. Disposal rules for consumers will also be clarified. Ordinary plastic toys can be disposed of with other plastic waste, while toys containing batteries or electronic components must be taken to designated small appliance or e-waste collection points to reduce fire risks.
The revision also adjusts recycling cost benchmarks for other items under the scheme, lowering rates for 30 categories, including metal cans, while raising them for four items such as paper cartons, reflecting technological advances, material price changes and inflation. “This marks a turning point in bringing plastic toys that were previously incinerated or landfilled back into the resource cycle,” Kim Go-eung, director general for resource circulation at the ministry, said in a statement.
South Korea generates one of the highest volumes of plastic waste per capita among OECD countries, driven by heavy use of packaging and disposable consumer goods. According to government data, the country produces several million tonnes of plastic waste each year, with plastic making up a significant share of household waste. While recycling rates are officially high, a significant share of plastic waste has historically been incinerated or landfilled, particularly items deemed difficult to recycle, such as mixed or composite plastics.
In recent years, the government has tightened recycling standards, expanded extended producer responsibility schemes and restricted waste exports, following disruptions to overseas recycling markets, including China’s import ban introduced in 2018.
Thoughts
South Korea's decision to bring plastic toys within its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme is another reminder that EPR is evolving far beyond packaging. Rather than treating toys simply as household waste, the policy recognises that producers should also play a role in funding their recovery and recycling.
What stands out to me is the willingness to tackle a difficult waste stream that many countries have largely ignored. Plastic toys are often made from mixed polymers, may contain electronics or batteries and are frequently discarded in residual waste. They're not an easy recycling success story but South Korea has chosen to address the problem rather than avoid it.
Having first piloted the approach and demonstrated that collection targets could be exceeded, the SK government has now embedded the system into national policy. It's a practical example of evidence informing legislation rather than legislation hoping the evidence will follow.
Whether the scheme ultimately delivers genuine circularity or simply higher collection rates remains to be seen but it's an ambitious step that many other countries, including the UK will watch with interest. If EPR is to become a genuine driver of resource efficiency rather than simply a funding mechanism, this is exactly the sort of innovation worth following.
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