What is the tonnage threshold for K-REACH on polyethylene terephthalate (pet)?

K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment) (polymer Article-9-style exemption may apply)

CAS 25038-59-9 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) under K-REACH

(C10H8O4)n · 聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯

Status: Registered. PET is registered under K-REACH (constituent monomers PTA batch 9 + MEG batch 8 IS K-REACH registered separately). NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list. NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. Korea has substantial domestic PET production (LG Chem Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, SK Chemicals, Huvis, Toray Advanced Materials Korea, TK Chemical, Hyosung TNC); structurally near-balanced (verify the most recent Korean PET supply / demand balance against Korea Petrochemical Industry Association before relying). KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats PET as a polymer (constituent monomers PTA batch 9 + MEG batch 8 IS K-REACH registered). Korea has substantial domestic PET production. **PET distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: closes PTA batch 9 + MEG batch 8 chain via condensation polymerisation (PTA + MEG → PET + H2O; ~99% globally) + 3 grades (textile-grade fibre + film-grade + bottle-grade including rPET) + Article 2(9) polymer exemption + polyester fibre dominant globally (>50% of all textile fibre) + EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg 2019/904) PET-bottle 25% rPET by 2025 + 30% by 2030 + EU PPWR Reg 2025/40 (30% rPET by 2030 + 65% by 2040 for PET beverage bottles) + state-level US rPET legislation (California AB 793 50% rPET by 2030 + Washington 5022 + New Jersey A4676 + Maine LD 1541 EPR) + Australian APCO 50% rPET by 2025 + state-level CDS + Korea Resource Recycling Act EPR + Hengli Petrochemical world's largest single-company PET capacity + China dominates global PET capacity (~50%, ~50-55 Mt/yr). Capacity additions 2024-2026 (Hengli Phase 4 + Wankai Phase 2 + Tongkun Phase 3) extend Chinese dominance toward ~55%.

Listing and threshold

Substance	Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (CAS 25038-59-9), (C10H8O4)n
Regime	Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction	Republic of Korea
Status	Registered
Tonnage threshold	K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment) (polymer Article-9-style exemption may apply)

Classifications under this regime

NOT classified under Korean GHS at industrial-grade (polymer)
NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 39076900
Korea Resource Recycling Act EPR + recycled-content targets for PET bottles

Restrictions and conditions of use

No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
NO active Korean AD/CVD case
KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
Korea Resource Recycling Act EPR + recycled-content targets

Importer obligations

Korea has substantial domestic PET production (LG Chem Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, SK Chemicals, Huvis, Toray Advanced Materials Korea, TK Chemical, Hyosung TNC); structurally near-balanced (verify against Korea Petrochemical Industry Association before relying).

Required documents

K-REACH registration number (constituent monomer registration may be sufficient)
Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 39076900
China-Korea FTA Form CO

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

Korea has substantial domestic PET production (LG Chem Yeosu + Lotte Chemical Yeosu + SK Chemicals + Huvis + Toray Advanced Materials Korea + TK Chemical + Hyosung TNC)
KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
NO active Korean AD/CVD case
Korea Resource Recycling Act EPR + recycled-content targets

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for polyethylene terephthalate (pet), see the CAS 25038-59-9 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the polyethylene terephthalate (pet) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of K-REACH, see the K-REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

Referenced in

4 pages across the Sourzi moat

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

Free download

Free PDF: the same MSDS verification template the Sourzi team uses to cross-reference factory documents against TSCA, REACH, AICIS, and CDR before booking.