South Korea waste bag crisis exposes supply chain vulnerability as 54% of naphtha imports disrupted

SOUTH KOREA – South Korea has faced a sudden shortage of standard waste disposal bags after the Middle East conflict blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which 54 percent of the nation’s naphtha imports typically pass, triggering production cuts at chemical plants and leaving four out of five major supermarkets sold out.

The crisis, which unfolded on March 24, 2026, exposed the fragility of everyday infrastructure when global supply chains fracture.

The root cause lies in disrupted naphtha supplies, the petrochemical raw material essential for producing the plastics used in standardized government-issued waste bags.

According to reports from Chosun Ilbo and Hankyung, the blockade has severely restricted flows, with companies warning that their naphtha stocks will be depleted between late March and mid-April.

Industrial Shutdowns Cascade

The impact has rippled through South Korea’s petrochemical sector with alarming speed. L

G Chem has suspended operations at its Yeosu plant, which boasts an annual ethylene production capacity of 800,000 tons.

Yeochun NCC, another industry giant, has reduced its olefin production in response to tightening raw material availability.

Industry sources indicate that only 15 to 30 days’ worth of inventory remain at some facilities, raising the specter of a full-scale shutdown that would threaten not just waste bags but a host of other plastic products, from car parts to electronics packaging.

Government Response and Public Anxiety

In the midst of the turmoil, government officials have scrambled to reassure a nervous public.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has emphasized that local governments currently hold up to six months’ worth of waste bag stock, and efforts are underway to redistribute supplies from regions with surpluses to those facing acute shortages.

Minister Kim Seong-hwan, as reported by News1, acknowledged the sharp rise in prices and stated that the government is working to minimize hoarding behaviors.

The reassurance came too late for consumers who faced empty shelves at major retailers.

Channel A reported that four out of five supermarket locations were completely sold out, leaving many scrambling to find alternatives and sparking a broader conversation about supply chain vulnerabilities in the face of global conflict.

The Naphtha Dependency Factor

South Korea’s heavy reliance on imported naphtha, approximately 54 percent of which historically transits the Strait of Hormuz, has left the country uniquely exposed to disruptions in the Middle East.

The petrochemical sector uses naphtha as a feedstock to produce ethylene, propylene, and other basic materials that form the building blocks for plastics across virtually every industrial and consumer sector.

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