The government has set up a task force to cultivate new overseas markets for plastic waste to respond to growing concerns over a Chinese ban. 

The Environment Ministry on Wednesday held a meeting with related state agencies and private recyclable material collectors. China banned the import of plastic waste beginning in January this year.

It was the first meeting of the task force to discuss ways to cultivate new markets for domestic plastic waste. 

The matter has been mainly addressed by the Korea Resource Circulation Service Agency, but the recent controversy over plastic waste collection prompted the ministry to launch a task force involving all related agencies to actively deal with the issue.

The task force plans to cultivate markets in Vietnam and other nations in Southeast Asia through an affiliate of the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute.