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Research Reports
A study on the management of hazardous substances in plastics
I. Research Background and Purposes
o Research Background and Necessity
ㅇ With the continued increase in the use of plastics worldwide, social interest in recycling plastics and risks of microplastics is increasing.
- The recent spread of COVID-19 has raised the need to manage chemicals contained in plastics as demand for disposable plastics has soared due to strengthened personal hygiene and social distance.
ㅇ Substances intentionally added to facilitate plastic processing and improve product performance are referred to as plastic additives.
- The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) carries out the Plastic Additives Initiative project to manage plastic additives and analyzes the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) registration materials and industry status to derive a list of additives by additive type.
ㅇ ECHA has also established basic information on the physical chemistry and hazard of the additives and checked the status of management, estimated the release potential, and prioritized plastic additives based on this.
- In addition, a process of selecting priorities for the management of plastic additives and a system for managing plastic additives in were proposed in conjunction with the EU REACH.

ㅇ Reporting and registration of chemicals have been made in Korea since the enforcement of the Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemical Substances (ARECs). However, separate management of plastic additives is insufficient.
- Through this study, we want to draw up a list of plastic additives used in Korea, establish basic i