The ongoing Iran war, while disrupting global supply chains and sending oil prices higher, may unexpectedly help Asia tackle one of its biggest environmental challenges: plastic pollution.
According to Reuters, the conflict has sharply disrupted supplies of petrochemicals and plastic feedstock from the Middle East, pushing plastic prices to nearly four-year highs. That has forced companies across Asia to consider paper, bamboo and biodegradable packaging alternatives more seriously.
South Korean cosmetics packaging maker Yonwoo, owned by Kolmar Korea, says demand for its eco-friendly paper tubes and pouches has surged as plastic shortages worsen.
“Interest initially came from companies focused on sustainability... but if the plastics issue gets prolonged we expect demand to further increase,” Kim Min-sang, senior manager at Kolmar Korea, told Reuters.
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Yonwoo supplies major global firms including L'Oreal and has seen a rise in demand for paper tubes used for sunscreen and lotion packaging. These tubes use only 20% of the plastic required in conventional packaging.
Asia remains heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil and petrochemical imports. It is also among the world's largest plastic consumers and polluters. OECD data cited by Reuters showed China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia together accounted for nearly one-third of global plastic use in 2022, a figure that has jumped 900% since 1990.
The crisis is also creating opportunities for alternative material makers. Taiwan-based Lastic, which produces bamboo-based biodegradable materials, said several US buyers have resumed talks after rising plastic costs made alternatives more viable.
“It's not that I like to look at the upside of war, but ... if you can't control it, you've got to find the silver lining,” Luke Anderson, senior development manager at Lastic, told the news agency.
Also Read: Peace In Sight? US, Iran Agree 'In-Principle' To Extend Truce, Says Report
Some companies have already been forced to pivot. Malaysia's Farm Fresh has temporarily shifted to paper-based milk cartons due to plastic supply disruptions.
However, not all businesses can adapt quickly. South Korea's Gaone International, which makes packaging for face masks, has cut production sharply as it struggles to secure plastic supplies.
While the shift may be temporary, the Iran conflict is accelerating conversations around sustainable packaging in Asia in a way environmental campaigns have struggled to achieve for decades.
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