EnglishComparative Analysis of Plastic Resource Circulation Policies in South Korea and Japan
- Authors:Mingyeol Kim(Korea International School Jeju, South Korea )
- Publication Date:August 31, 2026
- Type:IJCSY Vol.1 No.2
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.23410/IJCSY.2026.1.2.03
- Volume/Issue:1/(2)
Abstract
Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to the world today. Efforts to establish effective policies for addressing plastic pollution and promoting resource circulation remain insufficient. In this context, this study compares the plastic recycling and resource circulation policies of South Korea and Japan, and focuses in particular on the Kitakyushu Eco-town model. This study examines how Japan’s legal framework, local government cooperation, and industrial integration contribute to a more integrated circulation system through a comparative policy approach. Although South Korea has well- established waste collection and source-separation systems, it continues to face challenges such as contamination of collected plastics, fragmented recycling structures, and insufficient linkages with industrial users (Greenpeace Korea, 2023). Meanwhile, Japan’s approach focuses on product design, stakeholder cooperation, and local recycling ecosystems (Ministry of the Environment, Japan, 2022). The ‘Kitakyushu Eco-Town’ model demonstrates how local governments, private companies, and citizens can collaborate to establish an effective circular economy (Kitakyushu City, n.d.). This comparative study supports the assertion that South Korea should advance beyond waste sorting and develop industrial cooperation at the regional level to build a more integrated circular economy.
Keywords:
circular economy., Japan, Kitakyushu Eco-town, plastic recycling, resource circulation, South Koreafigures
Fig. 0 Global Annual Plastic Production, 1950-2023
Fig. 1 The number of companies and employees in Kitakyushu Eco-Town (1998-2012)
Fig. 2 Comparison of Plastic Resource Circulation Frameworks in South Korea and Japan
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