Korean Recycling Symbol Decoder: What 무색페트, 플라스틱, 비닐류 & 도포·첩합 Mean

Possible result states

무색페트 — Clear PET bottle label

무색페트 is a current official label for the clear-PET-bottle stream. Do not treat it as a synonym for every clear PET object.

For example, a colorless PET detergent, cosmetics, washer-fluid, antifreeze, or engine-oil bottle can still appear under 플라스틱 PET.

Likewise, a clear PET tray or container should not be automatically mapped to 무색페트.

General direction: Use the separate clear-PET collection stream where provided.

플라스틱 — Rigid container or tray packaging

The official 플라스틱 family is used for rigid or container/tray-type synthetic-resin packaging.

The material text can include:

• PET
• HDPE
• LDPE
• PP
• PS
• OTHER
• approved bio-material variants

Examples include 플라스틱 PET, 플라스틱 HDPE, 플라스틱 PP, and 플라스틱 OTHER.

General direction: Plastic/container recycling stream where accepted.

The material code is secondary. The surrounding 플라스틱 label identifies the category layer.

비닐류 — Film or sheet packaging

The official current label is 비닐류. The simpler word 비닐 can be accepted as a search alias, but the official category remains 비닐류.

This family is used for film- or sheet-type synthetic-resin packaging.

Possible material text includes PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS, OTHER, and approved bio-material variants.

Examples include 비닐류 LDPE, 비닐류 PP, and 비닐류 OTHER.

General direction: Vinyl/film recycling stream where accepted.

Do not use the material code alone to decide between 플라스틱 and 비닐류.

PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS — Material codes only

These are official material texts, but they are not standalone disposal categories.

For example, PP by itself does not tell you whether the package belongs under 플라스틱, 비닐류, or another component-level marking.

Verify next: Read the surrounding official category label.

The decoder does not fuzzy-map a bare material code to a disposal stream.

OTHER does not mean general waste

OTHER is also a material code.

It can appear under 플라스틱 or 비닐류 for certain materials that do not fit the named resin codes, including some mixed-plastic or PET-G-containing material cases.

OTHER does not mean general waste. It is also not the same as 도포·첩합 등.

If the only text you have is OTHER, read the surrounding category label before deciding where the package belongs.

What do 바이오PET and other bio-material codes mean?

바이오PET, 바이오HDPE, 바이오LDPE, 바이오PP, and 바이오PS are approved bio-material variants within the recycling-symbol system.

They should still be interpreted through the surrounding official category, such as 플라스틱 or 비닐류.

Do not interpret 바이오 as a generic claim that the package is biodegradable or compostable.

Unsupported materials such as PLA are not automatically mapped into this family.

캔류 — Metal cans

The current label family is 캔류, with material text such as 철, 알루미늄, or 알미늄.

알루미늄 and 알미늄 can be treated as spelling variants within this context. But 철 or 알루미늄 by itself should not be presented as a separate main recycling-symbol family.

General direction: Metal-can recycling stream after emptying the contents.

종이

종이 is a current official recycling label in the approved symbol scope.

General direction: Paper stream when the item is clean and accepted.

Do not assume every paper package must carry this symbol or that every paper-looking package belongs to the same paper stream. Condition and package type still matter.

일반팩 and 멸균팩 are different labels

일반팩

This is the current label for the general/refrigerated paper-carton category in the defined scope.

General direction: Paper-carton stream. Current guidance may require it to be kept separate from ordinary paper.

멸균팩

This is the current label for aseptic cartons with aluminum foil.

General direction: Paper-carton stream, but keep it separate from ordinary paper and from 일반팩 where the local collection system provides separate handling.

What about 종이팩?

종이팩 is better treated as a generic or legacy helper term. The current label split is 일반팩 and 멸균팩.

Do not silently convert 종이팩 into 일반팩. Identify the current printed subtype when possible.

유리

유리 is a current official recycling label for glass packaging or bottles.

General direction: Glass-bottle recycling stream after emptying the contents.

Do not assume every type of glass uses the same route. Deposit-return bottles and non-container glass can follow different rules.

도포·첩합 등 — Difficult-to-recycle mark

This is not a normal recyclable-material label.

It applies to defined packaging or components where another material is mixed, coated, or laminated in a way that cannot be separated from that component.

General direction: General/pay-as-you-throw waste rather than the ordinary recycling stream.

Do not interpret 도포·첩합 등 as equivalent to the material code OTHER. They are different parts of the system.

종량제 배출 — Component-level instruction

종량제 배출 directs the identified marked component to the general/pay-as-you-throw waste stream.

The important word is component. If a detachable label or cap carries this instruction, it does not automatically mean the entire package belongs in general waste.

The recyclable main body keeps its own label and disposal direction.

Multi-component packaging: read each part

One package can have different markings for different parts.

A current official example can look like:

• main body = 무색페트
• cap = HDPE
• label = PP

Do not turn the entire package into “PP plastic” just because the label or cap is PP. Preserve the component role.

If a detachable component says 종량제 배출, follow that instruction for the identified component only.

What if the label is older or generic?

유색페트

유색페트 is treated here as a Legacy / non-current label term.

Do not nearest-match it to 무색페트. If this wording appears on an older package or in informal text, check the actual current printed recycling category.

발포합성수지

발포합성수지 can be used as a national household-waste disposal/material category, including foam or Styrofoam-type material.

It is not treated here as a current printed recycling-symbol label.

PVC

PVC is not in the current official plastic/vinyl material-code list used by this V1. It is therefore not automatically mapped to 플라스틱, 비닐류, or another resin code.

페트 and 종이팩

Older or generic helper terms such as 페트 or 종이팩 are preserved as entered. When possible, identify the current printed category or subtype instead of guessing what the older wording should become.

Disposal direction is not the same as local collection method

This decoder can give a general direction such as:

• separate clear-PET stream
• plastic/container stream
• vinyl/film stream
• metal-can stream
• paper
• paper carton
• glass
• general/pay-as-you-throw waste for defined difficult-to-recycle marks

It does not automatically confirm:

• collection day
• building bin
• bag color
• pickup location
• apartment-specific rule
• local exception

For those details, use the national household-waste guide, your municipality or district waste guidance, or your building’s collection notice.

Official checks

What this decoder does not do

This tool does not:

• identify the material from a photo
• decide recyclability from appearance alone
• convert every clear PET object to 무색페트
• convert OTHER to general waste
• treat material codes as disposal categories
• turn 유색페트 into 무색페트
• treat 발포합성수지 as a current official printed symbol
• assume 종이팩 means 일반팩
• decide contamination-based recyclability unless the item condition is supplied and supported
• provide universal local collection instructions

Its job is narrower: printed Korean label → official layer → English meaning → general disposal direction → component/local caveat → official next check