[Background]

As the mandatory use of recycled materials in PET bottles for beverages and bottled water is imposed (10% by 2026), the demand for food-grade recycled materials is expanding, thereby increasing the need to improve quality and reliability.

The necessity has been raised to restrict the use of "PET cans," where aluminum is bonded to PET, making it difficult to sort and remove them when they get mixed into the recycling process.

[Main Points]

Prohibition on the use of packaging materials where PET containers are combined with metal in a way that makes it difficult to easily separate them without the use of separate tools (Newly establishing Article 3, Paragraph 5 of the draft).

Reflecting industry opinions from the public hearing (July 1), the enforcement date will be deferred (effective from January 1, 2028).