1 week Ago By Korea Bizwire
A pallet produced from the plastic material of Rocket Fresh Bags (Image provided by Coupang) SEOUL, April 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Coupang announced on April 27 that it has established a new recycling system to repurpose expired “Rocket Fresh Bags,” using their plastic components to manufacture cargo pallets. Introduced in March 2020, Rocket Fresh Bags are reusable insulated bags designed to deliver fresh food while minimizing environmental impact. Made from high-strength plastic composite materials, they have been central to Coupang’s push to reduce reliance on disposable packaging.
“Rocket Fresh Bags” Currently, about 70% of Coupang’s fresh food orders are delivered in Rocket Fresh Bags, a shift the company estimates has helped eliminate the use of over 200 million styrofoam boxes annually. However, the Rocket Fresh Bags are not infinitely reusable. After roughly 100 cycles of use, their insulation performance deteriorates, leading to disposal as general waste.
Seeking a more sustainable solution, Coupang partnered with industrial plastics manufacturer NPC Co. in early 2024 to develop a method to extract usable plastic from expired bags. By mid-2024, the company installed recycling facilities capable of processing the material.
Through this new system, Coupang can extract more than 2,300 tons of recycled plastic annually, which is then used to produce pallets for export markets. Coupang expects the recycling initiative to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 8,050 tons per year — equivalent to the amount absorbed annually by 880,000 30-year-old pine trees. “Environmental sustainability is one of the core pillars of Coupang’s innovation strategy,” a company spokesperson said.
“Recycling Rocket Fresh Bags marks an important milestone toward building a more sustainable logistics and delivery ecosystem.” Ashley Song ([email protected]).
