The regulatory conversation about packaging often centers on Europe and North America. But for operations shipping into Asian markets, the regulatory environment is developing in ways that affect material decisions.
Japan has taken a voluntary certification approach. The Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry published design certification standards under the Plastic Resource Circulation Act in July 2025, effective from January 24, 2026. The standards focus on design for recycling, including requirements for PET beverage bottles to contain at least 15% recycled content and to be designed so that labels and caps can be easily separated during recycling. Certified products receive priority in government procurement under the Green Purchasing Law . The approach is incentive-based rather than mandatory, but it signals the direction of policy.
South Korea has taken a more prescriptive path. The Ministry of Environment announced amendments to the Resource Circulation Act Enforcement Decree in September 2025, introducing mandatory recycled content requirements for PET beverage bottles. From January 1, 2026, producers with annual output above 5,000 tonnes must use at least 10% recycled PET. By 2030, the threshold drops to 1,000 tonnes and the requirement rises to 30% . The regulation includes a dual certification system covering both recycling processes and material safety, reflecting concerns about non-intentionally added substances in recycled plastic for food-contact applications.
Across Southeast Asia, EPR frameworks and plastic reduction targets are in various stages of development. Malaysia's Roadmap Towards Zero Single-Use Plastics 2018-2030 and Plastics Sustainability Roadmap 2021-2030 aim for 100% recyclability of plastic packaging by 2030. Vietnam has committed to eliminating single-use plastics from coastal tourism destinations and protected marine areas by 2030. The Philippines aims to close plastic leakage pathways by 2040 . The OECD notes that nine of thirteen Asia-Pacific countries have dedicated national action plans on waste management, plastic pollution, or marine litter, and several have set quantitative targets for reducing single-use plastics .
What does this mean for packaging material decisions? The common thread is that plastic packaging is facing increasing scrutiny and, in some cases, direct regulation. Paper-based cushioning occupies a different regulatory category. It is made from kraft paper, is recyclable through standard paper streams, and does not contain plastic film.
Aircosan manufactures paper bubble machines at its own facility in Foshan, Guangdong, and builds units up to 80cm wide. The machines produce cushioning from specialty kraft paper using mechanical embossing, with no inflation, heating, sealing, or adhesive. For operations shipping into Asian markets, the material simplifies the compliance picture compared to plastic void fill.
The regulatory environment in Asia is not uniform. Japan's voluntary approach, Korea's mandatory targets, and Southeast Asia's developing EPR frameworks create different compliance obligations in different markets. But the direction is consistent: plastic packaging carries increasing cost and complexity, while paper-based alternatives have a simpler path. For packaging operations that ship across multiple Asian markets, paper cushioning reduces the number of regulatory variables they need to manage.