On March 24, 2026, a wave of anxiety swept across South Korea as reports flooded in about a sudden shortage of waste disposal bags—an everyday necessity that few had ever expected to see vanish from store shelves. At major supermarkets, four out of five locations were found to be completely sold out, according to Channel A, leaving many consumers scrambling to find alternatives and sparking a broader conversation about supply chain vulnerabilities in the face of global conflict.
The root of the problem, as reported by multiple outlets including Chosun Ilbo and Hankyung, lies in the disruption of naphtha supplies—a crucial petrochemical raw material used to produce plastics and, by extension, the waste bags themselves. The Middle East conflict, particularly the blockade of the Hormuz Strait by Iran following the outbreak of war, has severely restricted the flow of naphtha into South Korea. With 54% of the country’s naphtha imports typically passing through this chokepoint, the impact was both rapid and far-reaching.
As the news broke, panic buying and hoarding quickly followed. Online communities buzzed with posts of people proudly displaying their stockpiles of waste bags. One netizen wrote, “There’s talk of a plastic bag crisis coming, so I bought as many as I could. I’m the winner. What should I stock up on next?” Others, caught off guard by the sudden scarcity, lamented, “I really need these bags, but I can’t find them anywhere.” According to Chosun Ilbo, some stores began limiting purchases to just one or two bags per customer, while others switched to selling bags individually instead of in bundles.
This surge in demand was not limited to individual consumers. Small business owners, too, rushed to secure their own supplies. One business operator told Munhwa Ilbo, “I ordered a six-month supply when I heard prices were going up, but my friend bought enough for two years. I worry the bags might discolor before we use them all!” The frenzy extended beyond waste bags to other daily necessities—disposable cups, sanitary pads, and even cleaning supplies—fueling a wider sense of uncertainty.
Behind the scenes, manufacturers have been caught in a bind. With naphtha prices rising and supply chains in disarray, some companies have halted production altogether. A representative from a plastic bag factory told Channel A, “We’ve stopped making waste bags for now. We still have some raw materials left, but after mid-April, who knows what will happen?” In a bid to keep production going, some manufacturers have even approached competitors, offering to pay higher prices for any leftover naphtha they could spare.
Price disputes have erupted between local governments and manufacturers, further complicating efforts to maintain a steady supply. The average price for a standard 20-liter waste bag has hovered around 80 won, but as Channel A and Munhwa Ilbo reported, some producers have already begun to raise their prices in response to the crisis. Industry insiders warned that the cost of polyethylene—the key ingredient in waste bags—could jump by as much as one million won per ton starting in May, a development that would surely be felt by consumers and businesses alike.
The crisis has also spilled over into the industrial sector. Major chemical companies such as LG Chem have suspended operations at their 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 the tightening supply of raw materials. According to Hankyung, companies expect their naphtha stocks to be depleted between late March and mid-April, with some warning that only 15 to 30 days’ worth of inventory remain. The specter of a full-scale shutdown looms, threatening not just waste bags but a host of other plastic products, from car parts to electronics.
In the midst of the turmoil, government officials have scrambled to reassure the public and stabilize the market. 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. “We are encouraging manufacturers with sufficient raw materials to support areas in need,” stated Minister Kim Seong-hwan, as reported by News1. He acknowledged the sharp rise in prices and promised, “We are working to minimize hoarding behaviors.”
Additional measures are on the table. The government is considering releasing stockpiled petroleum products to ensure that raw materials for public waste bags are prioritized. There is also discussion of restricting naphtha exports and imposing anti-hoarding regulations to prevent further panic buying. “We will receive reports on production and imports from refineries, and if necessary, we can enforce bans on hoarding and limit exports,” said Yang Ki-wook of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, according to Chosun Ilbo and Hankyung.
Despite these assurances, the psychological impact of the crisis has been profound. Experts have noted that economic shocks are often driven as much by fear as by actual shortages. Professor Kim Du-eol of Myongji University advised, “The government must transparently disclose inventory levels by sector and present clear supply management plans, so that people do not lose faith and resort to further hoarding.”
Political leaders have also been briefed on the situation. Representatives of small and medium-sized businesses met with lawmakers to voice their concerns about rising costs and supply uncertainties. “With no end in sight to the Middle East conflict, the problems of transaction uncertainty and cost surges are becoming severe,” business leaders warned, as reported by Munhwa Ilbo.
While the government has drawn a line under the so-called “April crisis,” insisting that emergency measures will keep the situation under control, the reality on the ground remains tense. At supermarkets and convenience stores, many shelves are still bare. Consumers and business owners alike are left wondering how long their current supplies will last—and whether the next essential item might be the one to disappear.
For now, the fate of South Korea’s waste disposal bags hangs in the balance, a vivid reminder of how quickly everyday life can be upended by events thousands of miles away. As officials race to shore up supplies and calm public fears, the hope is that transparency and timely action will prevent a temporary shortage from spiraling into a full-blown crisis.