Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the temple wastes and suggest the waste management guidelines for temples in natural parks. Study results revealed four important findings. First, it was found that the average quantity of the total temple wastes was 85,786g/day which was composed of general wastes(44,617g/day), food wastes(20,292g/day), recycling wastes(20.825g/day), and buddhist service wastes(60g/day). The average generation per capita of the temple wastes was 1,511g/capita day and the average bulk density was 0.102kg/l. Second, the food scrap was of small quantity(72.5g/day) because the traditional buddhist eating method, "Baru meal(鉢盂供養)" prohibits food abuse. This amount is very little compared to that produced in the general household in Korea. Third, the average quantity of the buddhist service wastes was 300-1,650g/one time. This wastes occupied 0.07% of the total temple wastes. Fourth, the average waste generated by visitors was 182.8g/person, which occupied 87.1% of the total temple wastes and costed 52,100,000 Wons to treat.