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– Verified as “Fully Compatible“ with PET bottle recycling systems, proving recyclability from the material design stage
SK Chemicals’ plastic materials have been certified for their compatibility as feedstock in European recycling processes.
Seoul, South KoreaMay 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SK Chemicals announced on May 26 that its copolyester ECOTRIA CLARO and PET series SKYPET family have been recognized by RecyClass, a European recycling assessment body, as recyclable within PET recycling systems.
Cosmetic containers and large-capacity containers made with SK Chemicals’ ECOTRIA CLARO 300
RecyClass is a cross-industry non-profit organization aimed at advancing the circular economy of plastics in Europe. It has established a systematic framework based on assessment protocols and design guidelines to evaluate and certify the recyclability of plastic materials.
Under the RecyClass framework, SK Chemicals has obtained Technology Approval (TA). This certification verifies whether a material can be stably used as recycled feedstock in actual recycling processes without disrupting existing operations. TA is considered a key standard for assessing a material’s compatibility with recycling processes when used as post-consumer recycled plastic feedstock. If a material lacks compatibility verification, it may cause process interruptions or quality degradation, hindering actual recycling.
This certification result means that SK Chemicals’ diverse polyester portfolio—ranging from copolyester to PET, and from recycled to virgin materials—has received authoritative recognition of its value as recycled feedstock. Typically, recycled materials are evaluated based on the proportion of waste plastic reprocessed into recycled feedstock; at the same time, the industry considers whether waste plastic itself can be reprocessed into recycled feedstock as an equally critical indicator of recyclability.
For example, even if a material contains 100% recycled PET, if it cannot be recycled again after use due to process issues and ends up being discarded or landfilled, it cannot truly establish a continuous circular system. Therefore, industry experts emphasize that building a sustainable recycling ecosystem requires materials to meet two conditions simultaneously: containing recycled content (Recycled) and being recyclable (Recyclable).
SK Chemicals CEO Ahn Jae-hyun stated: “This certification is an official recognition of our materials’ value as circular feedstock, which is a key component of our efforts to build a complete circular system. To establish a sustainable circular economy, we will continue to accumulate recycling technology expertise, strengthen competitiveness across the entire process from raw materials to commercialization, and further expand collaboration with European customers and related partners.”
The seven products receiving this certification include five copolyester products from the ECOTRIA CLARO series and two general-purpose PET products from the SKYPET series.
Among them, five products—ECOTRIA CLARO 100, ECOTRIA CLARO 200, ECOTRIA CLARO 300, ECOTRIA CLARO 100 CR50N, and ECOTRIA CLARO 200 CR50N—have achieved a “Full Compatible” rating, meaning they can be co-recycled without restrictions throughout the entire PET recycling process.
The other two SKYPET products—SKYPET BR and SKYPET BR-V—have received a “Limited Compatible” rating, meaning they can be recycled under specific process conditions.
Previously, last year, SK Chemicals obtained the highest Class A Letter of Compatibility (LoC) from RecyClass for PET bottles made from its circular recycled PET material SKYPET CR. This assessment primarily verifies whether the container’s structural design is compatible with existing recycling processes and is considered a key standard for measuring whether containers can be smoothly processed in actual recycling. The relevant bottles used SKYPET CR BB and SKYPET CR BL materials.