Terracle, a chemical recycling company specializing in waste plastics (CEO Kibaek Kwon), has received international recognition for its technology that converts discarded ocean-bound plastic waste into chemical raw materials equivalent in quality to petrochemical products. The company recently obtained the “OBP (Ocean-Bound Plastic)” certification under the ISCC PLUS system, securing a key qualification for entering the global sustainable materials supply chain.
ISCC PLUS is an internationally recognized sustainability certification system widely required across the global chemical, textile, and packaging industries, particularly in Europe. It is considered a crucial standard for companies seeking to participate in the global eco-friendly materials supply chain. The certification verifies the traceability of materials throughout the entire value chain—from raw material sourcing to processing and final products—providing reliable documentation for ESG management and sustainability reporting.
Notably, Terracle’s certification explicitly includes Ocean-Bound Plastic (OBP). OBP refers to plastic waste generated within 50 kilometers of coastlines that has a high risk of entering the ocean. Such waste is typically difficult to collect due to poor waste management infrastructure in coastal regions and is heavily contaminated with salt, sand, and other impurities. Because the plastic is often mixed in color and material composition, conventional mechanical recycling methods are largely ineffective.
Terracle’s depolymerization technology fundamentally overcomes these structural limitations. While polymerization combines multiple raw materials to produce plastics, depolymerization reverses the process, breaking down finished plastics back into their original chemical components. The process can be likened to turning bread back into flour and water.
Operating at temperatures below 100°C, Terracle’s method chemically decomposes plastic at the molecular level regardless of color or contamination. As a result, it produces high-purity raw materials with over 99% purity, comparable in quality to virgin materials derived from petroleum.
Terracle has already achieved a significant milestone by successfully producing high-purity recycled terephthalic acid at ton-scale levels for the first time in Korea. A hydrolysis-based depolymerization plant with an annual capacity of 4,000 tons is scheduled to begin operation in the first half of this year, marking a major step toward full commercial deployment of the technology.
The company’s potential has also been recognized by governments and global platforms. In January 2024, Terracle participated in CES 2024 in Las Vegas, showcasing its technology at Samsung Electronics’ Sustainability Pavilion. The company was also selected for the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ “Super Gap Startup 1000+ Project,” receiving intensive government support. The same year, the Minister of Environment visited Terracle’s demonstration facility at the Green Venture Convergence Cluster and encouraged the company as a promising young leader in future green industries. In 2026, Terracle was further selected as a preliminary Green Unicorn company.
Terracle’s technology is already being implemented in real-world applications. In March 2024, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Busan branch of the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation and the Busan branch of the Korea Tugboat Cooperative Association to promote the recycling of marine waste in Busan Port. Under the agreement, marine debris collected from the port will be supplied to Terracle, which will convert it into chemical raw materials.
CEO Kibaek Kwon emphasizes that the company’s mission is not to eliminate plastics but to enable a circular system for them.
“Plastics themselves are not the problem,” Kwon said. “Modern civilization would be impossible without plastics. The real issue is that they are not circulating properly. Simply reducing their use is not a realistic solution. If plastics can be reused endlessly without causing environmental damage, we can continue to benefit from them without destroying the planet. That is the real solution.”
Terracle is also turning its attention to the fashion industry. Approximately 60% of global clothing production is made from polyester, a type of plastic fiber. According to a World Bank report, textile waste accounts for roughly 12% of global municipal solid waste, while the fashion industry contributes about 10% of global carbon emissions. Yet only 1% of textile waste is recycled, largely because fabrics are mixed with different materials such as cotton and nylon and come in various colors, making conventional recycling extremely difficult.
Terracle’s depolymerization technology has the potential to recycle these materials as well. Kwon explained that the technology can convert polyester fibers, banners, and discarded clothing back into raw materials, expanding the scope of circular resource use in the fashion industry.
As global brands in Europe and North America accelerate their transition toward sustainable materials, demand for high-purity recycled feedstock certified under ISCC PLUS is rapidly increasing. Materials derived from ocean-bound plastic are particularly valued not only for their environmental benefits but also for their compelling sustainability narratives.
Through its ISCC PLUS OBP certification, Terracle has established a solid foundation for participating in the global eco-friendly materials supply chain.
By transforming plastic waste that might otherwise end up in the ocean into clean raw materials for new products, Terracle demonstrates that a true circular economy for plastics is technologically achievable. The company’s vision of solving environmental challenges through science and technology is now gaining recognition on the global stage.
Terracle, a chemical recycling company specializing in waste plastics (CEO Kibaek Kwon), has received international recognition for its technology that converts discarded ocean-bound plastic waste into chemical raw materials equivalent in quality to petrochemical products. The company recently obtained the “OBP (Ocean-Bound Plastic)” certification under the ISCC PLUS system, securing a key qualification for entering the global sustainable materials supply chain.
ISCC PLUS is an internationally recognized sustainability certification system widely required across the global chemical, textile, and packaging industries, particularly in Europe. It is considered a crucial standard for companies seeking to participate in the global eco-friendly materials supply chain. The certification verifies the traceability of materials throughout the entire value chain—from raw material sourcing to processing and final products—providing reliable documentation for ESG management and sustainability reporting.
Notably, Terracle’s certification explicitly includes Ocean-Bound Plastic (OBP). OBP refers to plastic waste generated within 50 kilometers of coastlines that has a high risk of entering the ocean. Such waste is typically difficult to collect due to poor waste management infrastructure in coastal regions and is heavily contaminated with salt, sand, and other impurities. Because the plastic is often mixed in color and material composition, conventional mechanical recycling methods are largely ineffective.
Terracle’s depolymerization technology fundamentally overcomes these structural limitations. While polymerization combines multiple raw materials to produce plastics, depolymerization reverses the process, breaking down finished plastics back into their original chemical components. The process can be likened to turning bread back into flour and water.
Operating at temperatures below 100°C, Terracle’s method chemically decomposes plastic at the molecular level regardless of color or contamination. As a result, it produces high-purity raw materials with over 99% purity, comparable in quality to virgin materials derived from petroleum.
Terracle has already achieved a significant milestone by successfully producing high-purity recycled terephthalic acid at ton-scale levels for the first time in Korea. A hydrolysis-based depolymerization plant with an annual capacity of 4,000 tons is scheduled to begin operation in the first half of this year, marking a major step toward full commercial deployment of the technology.
The company’s potential has also been recognized by governments and global platforms. In January 2024, Terracle participated in CES 2024 in Las Vegas, showcasing its technology at Samsung Electronics’ Sustainability Pavilion. The company was also selected for the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ “Super Gap Startup 1000+ Project,” receiving intensive government support. The same year, the Minister of Environment visited Terracle’s demonstration facility at the Green Venture Convergence Cluster and encouraged the company as a promising young leader in future green industries. In 2026, Terracle was further selected as a preliminary Green Unicorn company.
Terracle’s technology is already being implemented in real-world applications. In March 2024, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Busan branch of the Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation and the Busan branch of the Korea Tugboat Cooperative Association to promote the recycling of marine waste in Busan Port. Under the agreement, marine debris collected from the port will be supplied to Terracle, which will convert it into chemical raw materials.
CEO Kibaek Kwon emphasizes that the company’s mission is not to eliminate plastics but to enable a circular system for them.
“Plastics themselves are not the problem,” Kwon said. “Modern civilization would be impossible without plastics. The real issue is that they are not circulating properly. Simply reducing their use is not a realistic solution. If plastics can be reused endlessly without causing environmental damage, we can continue to benefit from them without destroying the planet. That is the real solution.”
Terracle is also turning its attention to the fashion industry. Approximately 60% of global clothing production is made from polyester, a type of plastic fiber. According to a World Bank report, textile waste accounts for roughly 12% of global municipal solid waste, while the fashion industry contributes about 10% of global carbon emissions. Yet only 1% of textile waste is recycled, largely because fabrics are mixed with different materials such as cotton and nylon and come in various colors, making conventional recycling extremely difficult.
Terracle’s depolymerization technology has the potential to recycle these materials as well. Kwon explained that the technology can convert polyester fibers, banners, and discarded clothing back into raw materials, expanding the scope of circular resource use in the fashion industry.
As global brands in Europe and North America accelerate their transition toward sustainable materials, demand for high-purity recycled feedstock certified under ISCC PLUS is rapidly increasing. Materials derived from ocean-bound plastic are particularly valued not only for their environmental benefits but also for their compelling sustainability narratives.
Through its ISCC PLUS OBP certification, Terracle has established a solid foundation for participating in the global eco-friendly materials supply chain.
By transforming plastic waste that might otherwise end up in the ocean into clean raw materials for new products, Terracle demonstrates that a true circular economy for plastics is technologically achievable. The company’s vision of solving environmental challenges through science and technology is now gaining recognition on the global stage.