Starting in November, greenhouse gas emission rights will also be able to be bought and sold through securities companies like stocks.
The Ministry of Environment announced the 'Delegated Trading System for Emission Rights' through 'This is how it will change from the second half of 2025' on the 30th.
Previously, only direct transactions of emission rights were possible through the Korea Exchange, but starting this November, transactions will be conveniently possible through the home trading system (HTS) of securities companies registered as emission rights brokerage companies.
The Ministry of Environment expressed hope that as the delegated trading for emission rights is introduced and the number of market participants gradually expands, the volume of emission rights transactions will increase and the transaction market will be activated.
The Ministry of Environment also decided to guide citizens about 'flood information severity levels' on navigation systems from the second half of the year, allowing them to recognize and escape flood risk situations in real-time.
The flood information severity level means reaching the planned flood stage, which indicates a risk of river flooding, and signifies a situation where immediate measures for safety, such as evacuation, are necessary.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Science and ICT have previously only provided information about flood warning points and dam discharge points through navigation systems; however, they have decided to expand the range of guidance to minimize blind spots.
Starting from August 7, the safety management system according to the risk of hazardous chemicals will also be improved. If hazardous chemicals are handled in small quantities, a business report instead of a business license is required.
Moreover, regular inspections were originally conducted every 1 to 2 years depending on whether there was a business license, but the inspection cycle will now be differentiated to 1 to 4 years according to the volume and risk of the handling facilities.
Starting from September 26, the requirement for using recycled plastic raw materials will also be strengthened. Previously, the target for the obligation to use recycled materials was 'those who produce more than 10,000 tons of PET annually,' but it will be changed to 'those who produce more than 5,000 tons of final products made from PET bottles annually.' As a result, Coca-Cola, Samdasoo, and others have also become subject to the obligation to use recycled materials.
The Ministry of Environment said, 'Currently, the mandatory target rate for using recycled materials is 3%, but we will increase it to 10% next year,' and added, 'We will gradually raise it to 30% by 2030.'