The Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) said on the 30th that a reusable packaging container dedicated to seafood, developed with NPC, has been put into practical use at Emart Everyday, the corporate-operated supermarket run by Emart.
In seafood distribution, expanded polystyrene (EPS), commonly known as Styrofoam, is widely used because it is lightweight and has excellent cold insulation. However, EPS contaminated with food or oil is difficult to recycle, so most of it is incinerated or landfilled. In particular, when it flows into the ocean, it can remain as microplastics, threatening marine ecosystems and human health.
KITECH researchers, together with NPC, developed a reusable packaging container dedicated to seafood that can replace EPS. According to the researchers, the container can be used repeatedly and has excellent cold insulation performance, addressing the shortcomings of conventional single-use Styrofoam. It is also manufactured mostly from polypropylene (PP), allowing it to be recycled into other products at the end of use.
Based on the results of the joint research and development, NPC manufactured a mass-production model with improved structure and characteristics. Reflecting feedback from demand-side corporations, the container was improved so it can be stacked, and the lid and handle were made lighter for easier use. A system was also established to collect the containers and reintroduce them after washing, drying, and sterilization.
The reusable packaging containers are being used in Emart Everyday's seafood distribution process. Currently, about 33,000 containers have been introduced into the distribution process to replace Styrofoam boxes, and the scale of use will be expanded. If Emart Everyday fully replaces the EPS it uses in seafood distribution with the developed containers, it could reduce more than 3,000 tons of EPS waste.
Sim Jin-gi, head of KITECH's Packaging Technology Center, said, "This is the first case of introducing eco-friendly reusable containers to replace Styrofoam in Korea's seafood distribution field," adding, "We plan to additionally develop quality control by byproduct part and packaging."
Hong Seong-won, head of the research institute at NPC, said, "As eco-friendly containers that can replace Styrofoam have been introduced in the seafood sector, support is needed to accelerate their dissemination," and added, "We plan to diversify specifications and broaden application areas to continue expansion."