What is the tonnage threshold for K-REACH on polyethylene (pe; ldpe / lldpe / hdpe / uhmwpe)?

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 9002-88-4 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Polyethylene (PE; LDPE / LLDPE / HDPE / UHMWPE) under K-REACH

(C2H4)n · 聚乙烯

Status: Registered. Polyethylene is registered under K-REACH (constituent monomer ethylene CAS 74-85-1 IS K-REACH registered). 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 PE production (LG Chem Yeosu + Daesan, Lotte Chemical Yeosu + Daesan, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu + Daesan, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan, Korea Petrochemical Industrial Complex KPIC); structurally net-exporter for ASEAN + India + Latin America markets. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats PE as a polymer (constituent monomer ethylene CAS 74-85-1 IS K-REACH registered). Korea has substantial domestic PE production at Yeosu + Daesan + Onsan; structurally net-exporter. **Polyethylene distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: closes ethylene chain (largest petrochemical commodity globally, ethylene ~210 Mt/yr) + 4 grades (LDPE / LLDPE / HDPE / UHMWPE) + Article 2(9) polymer exemption (alongside PVC batch 10 + PP batch 47) + constituent monomer ethylene CAS 74-85-1 IS REACH-registered + EU Polymer Strategy revision (2026-2027 timeline) high-priority polymer registration candidate + EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (Reg 2019/904) + EU PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) Reg 2025/40 (30% recycled-content for plastic packaging by 2030 + 40% by 2040) + state-level US single-use plastics legislation (California SB 54 65% recycled by 2032 + Maine + New York + Washington EPR) + Australian National Plastics Plan + APCO EPR + Korea Resource Recycling Act EPR + Sinopec + CNPC + Hengli + Shenghong Petrochemical (Lianyungang Xuwei 16 Mt/yr 2022 commissioning, world's largest single-site integrated petrochem complex) + Wanhua + ZRCC Chinese capacity dominance + China is structurally net-IMPORTER of PE (~30% of demand imported; largest global PE importer).

Listing and threshold

Substance	Polyethylene (PE; LDPE / LLDPE / HDPE / UHMWPE) (CAS 9002-88-4), (C2H4)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
NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS codes: 39011000 / 39012000 / 39013000 / 39014000
Korea Resource Recycling Act EPR + recycled-content targets for plastic packaging

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 PE production (LG Chem + Lotte Chemical + Hanwha Solutions + GS Caltex + S-Oil + KPIC at Yeosu + Daesan + Onsan); structurally net-exporter for ASEAN + India + Latin America markets.

Required documents

K-REACH registration number (constituent monomer registration may be sufficient)
Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 39011000 / 39012000 / 39014000
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 PE production at Yeosu + Daesan + Onsan; structurally net-exporter
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 (pe; ldpe / lldpe / hdpe / uhmwpe), see the CAS 9002-88-4 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the polyethylene (pe; ldpe / lldpe / hdpe / uhmwpe) 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

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