South Korea’s Ministry of Environment unveiled plans on Monday to reclassify waste batteries from electric vehicles (EVs), alongside waste paper, scrap metal and other select materials, as “recyclable resources.” This 20-day administrative notification, starting from Oct. 31, means these items will no longer be deemed merely as waste and will principally be exempt from the Waste Control Act. For a waste item to earn this status, it should neither harm human health nor the environment and hold tradeable economic value to prevent neglect. Starting next year, the ministry will proactively designate recyclable resources without awaiting business applications, introducing the