South Korea Signs Agreement to Recycle PMK E-Cigarette Devices via Postal System

Key Points

• South Korea will allow e-cigarette devices to be disposed of via mailboxes and post office counters;
• The postal authority signed a recovery agreement with government agencies and a private company;
• The program targets used e-cigarette devices from Philip Morris Korea;
• Devices will be collected through the postal delivery network and sent to recycling firms;
• Authorities say the system will help reduce environmental pollution and improve material recycling rates.

2Firsts, December 16, 2025 - According to the South Korean newspaper "Chosun Ilbo", electronic cigarette devices that previously lacked clear disposal channels will now be able to be discarded through nationwide mailboxes or post office counters.

The Postal Service Headquarters under the Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 16th that it will sign an “E-cigarette Device Postal Recovery Agreement” with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Environmental Foundation, and Philip Morris Korea. The agreement aims to systematically collect and recycle e-cigarette devices that were previously discarded as general waste or left unattended due to unclear disposal standards.

Starting in January next year, consumers will be able to place used Philip Morris Korea e-cigarette devices into designated collection bags and submit them at nearby post office counters or deposit them into mailboxes installed nationwide. The collection bags will be available at post offices.

Collected devices will be gathered through the postal delivery network and transferred to recycling companies for processing. The locations of mailboxes can be checked via the “Internet Post Office” website.

The Postal Service Headquarters stated that the system is expected to reduce environmental pollution and risks associated with illegal disposal and misuse, while increasing the recycling rate of materials such as rare metals, thereby contributing to the circular economy. The postal service is also currently operating collection programs for expired medicines and single-use coffee capsules.

Image source: Chosun Ilbo