LG Chem has partnered with innovative Korean startup Innerbottle in establishing an eco-platform that fully recycles cosmetic containers.

The dedicated system establishment which uses and collects Innerbottle containers that are made from LG Chem materials helps in reducing carbon and expands eco-friendly business. The recycling starts with cosmetics and then will expand its application to food and medicine; joint development of eco-friendly plastic material that will be used in various containers.

If just 10% (1.5 billion) of the plastic cosmetic containers discarded every year around the world are recycled, it is expected to reduce 75,000 tons of carbon every year. This is equivalent to planting 11.4 million pine trees.

Sung Woo Hur, Executive Vice President and Group Leader of Petrochemical Global Business Development, LG Chem said, “It is meaningful that a global conglomerate and a startup are working together to create the world’s first plastic resource circulation platform which can potentially be market pioneers within the global ESG mega-trend, and create sustainable growth.”

“LG Chem will work towards building an eco-friendly petrochemical business, which can sustain together with the environment,” added Hur.

LG Chem is creating an ESG business model that covers the entire eco-cycle from plastic production, collection after use, and recycling.

Innerbottle is an innovative startup that offers sustainable eco-friendly packaging solutions, with more than 50 intellectual property rights registered domestically and overseas.

Using the plastic materials provided by LG Chem, Innerbottle produces cosmetic containers. The used Innerbottle containers are collected through a dedicated logistics system, and then returned to LG Chem and Innerbottle who recycles them as raw materials for new production.

The two companies plan to start off by applying the platform to cosmetic containers that Innerbottle is producing in the second half of this year, and then expand its application to food and medicine containers.