• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.905-915
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• 2010

With rising food waste, the management activities have gained growing attention, and the disposal options, particularly utilization of food waste for energy recovery, become central. This research examines the factors affecting food waste generation and the tendency to resource food waste. The self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in newly built multifamily housing estates to collect data, and 300 responses were analyzed. The statistical analysis showed that most of the respondents purchased food materials in largely franchised grocery stores and discarded food that had been too long refrigerated to edible. The lifecycle of food consumption was divided into three states - food purchase plan, cooking and food waste collection. Regression analysis was employed to find out the relationships between three stages and food waste generation or tendency to resource food waste. The results described that food waste generation being affected by the stage of food purchase plan (food waste removal conditions) was statistically significant while it's statistically significant that the stage of cooking (prepurchase considerations) influenced the attitude toward food waste resource. The research findings indicated that food is overconsumed, and further many viewed food waste resources as a proactive and integrative mode in the global wave of sustainability.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.53-66
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate the typical composition of food waste from municipal solid wastes (MSW) and unit food waste generation rates from different sources in the model cities and to study the food waste management system from unit household to composting facilities. The annual average food waste composition of MSW was determined as 49% in Taejon and 52% in Chungnam Province, respectively. No big difference in food waste composition was found among the different sources. Since the paper waste generally occupied the half of food waste, over 75% of MSW was found to be compostable or biodegradable. Per capita food waste generation rate, 200~250g/capita day was determined by the direct measurement from 32 households, while 380g/capita day for Chungnam Province and 400 g/capita day for Taejon were estimated by the load count analysis In the sanitary landfills. This difference means people contribute generating food waste at outside house approximately twice as much as that at inside house. Per capita food waste generation rates from several sources were determined as follows; 166~215g/capita day at municipalities, 400g/visitor day at a first class hotel, 170g/student day at a university restaurant. Food waste generation from restaurant was strongly dependant upon it's level or quality; 670g/capita day at the high level restaurant, 190g/capita day at the middle class and 60 g/capita day at the lower class restaurant. The food waste reduction rate in a In situ fermentor showed 30~40g/kg day.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.526-531
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• 2009

Waste generation was generally expected to steadily rise due to a rapid increase in population and economic growth. However, regulations on disposable goods and a volume-based waste fee system have led to a gradual reduction in the amount of waste. In the case of food waste, separation of food waste from other waste has been put in place since direct landfilling was banned in January 2005. The predicted generation amounts of food waste and wastewater in the model city were 54 ton/d and 127.3 ton/d by year 2020, respectively. However, appropriate treatment technologies for food waste and wastewater discharged from food waste treatment processes are yet to be established. In this study, the food waste and wastewater discharged from food waste treatment process in the model city were characterized by literal and field investigation.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 2017

Simultaneous treatment of food waste leachate and power generation was investigated in an air-cathode microbial fuel cell. A TCOD removal efficiency of $95.4{\pm}0.3%$ was achieved for an initial COD concentration of 2,860 mg/L. Maximum power density ranged was maximized at $1.86W/m^3$, when COD concentration varied between 60 mg/L and 2,860 mg/L. Meanwhile, columbic efficiency was determined between 1.76% and 11.07% for different COD concentrations. Cyclic voltammetric data revealed that the oxidation peak voltage occurred at -0.20 V, shifted to about -0.25 V. Moreover, a reduction peak voltage at -0.45 V appeared when organic matters were exhausted, indicating that reducible matters were produced during the decomposition of organic matters. The results showed that it was feasible to use food waste leachate as a fuel for power generation in a microbial fuel cell, and the treatment efficiency of the wastewater was satisfied.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.243-253
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• 2009

This research expands investigations into the biomass resource potential associated with California's food processing industry by surveying industries within a two county region in the San Joaquin Valley, California, USA. A previous survey conducted in 2005 for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) quantified residue and waste generation from food processors and food preparation businesses in the Sacramento region. The present survey investigates residue and waste streams from food processors located in Merced and Stanislaus Counties. Sixty food processors were identified to participate in the survey, of which 49 responded (82%) and data were acquired for 38 (63%) (6 facilities closed or moved, 8 decided not to participate). Within the two counties, total annual waste among survey respondents amounted to 24,044 dry tons of high moisture (${\geq}$60%) food residuals, 5,358 dry tons of low moisture (<60%) food residuals; and 23.7 million $m^3$ of wastewater containing 38,814 tons of biochemical oxygen demand ($BOD_5$). The total potential electric power generation from these food residues was estimated at approximately $7\;MW_e$. Total solid waste resource included in the survey response was estimated at about 10% of statewide residue generation for processors falling within the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) System Major Group 20 (Food and Kindred Products) categories.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.815-825
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• 2007

The study was designed to investigate food waste management practices and to identify factors affecting food waste generation at school food services. A total of 202 dietitians employed at elementary schools participated in the survey. The mean food waste weight per school was 77.54 kg, forty percent of the schools generated food waste of $50{\sim}100kg$ every day and 53% generated plate waste less than 50 kg. Three quarters of the dietitians perceived plate waste as a major component of the food waste and vegetable dishes were a major source of the plate waste. Half of the dietitians used a food waste pick-up service for waste disposal, which was the most preferred waste disposal method. Approximately 90% of the dietitians conducted education on plate waste reduction for students but their perceptions on the effectiveness of the education was inconsistent. The contents were environmental issues (70.3%) and unbalanced food choice (56.7%). According to factor analysis based on performance score, solid waste management practices were grouped into 'information collecting and education', 'supervision of production process', 'cooperation with related groups', and 'control over production planning'. Practices appertaining to 'cooperation with related groups', 'information collecting and education' factor need to be improved. Dietitians should pay attention to 'recycle and reuse of left over' practice. Waste generation differed significantly by dietitians' ages and working experience. In order to reduce plate waste, more effective education materials and methods need to be developed and support from principals, teachers, and parents is necessary.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.422-432
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• 2019

Objectives: The purposes of the study were to assess wastes generated in school foodservice and to identify factors influencing the generation of plate waste. Methods: A survey was administered from November 18-30 in 2015 to dietitians and nutrition teachers that were employed in schools located in Gyeonggi province. A questionnaire file and on-line survey site link were sent to the dietitians and nutrition teachers by e-mail. A total of 622 dietitians and nutrition teachers responded and 594 responses were used for data analysis after excluding 28 responses with significant missing data. Results: Plate waste was the major part of food waste generated in school foodservice. Vegetable menus and soup/stews were discarded the most as plate waste. The dietitians and nutrition teachers perceived students' unbalanced diet and lack of appreciation of food as causes of the plate waste. Regarding waste management, they were concerned about environmental contamination by food waste and felt uncomfortable about discarding food. No plate waste day was the most frequently used plate waste reduction activity, followed by newsletters on plate waste reduction. Difficulty in getting teachers' support for dietary education during meal time was rated the greatest barrier to implementing the activities. To reduce plate waste, they perceived that students should understand the importance of environment conservation, teachers should supervise students' eating during meal time, students should be educated about proper portion, and foodservice staff should improve food quality. Conclusions: To improve students' intake and reduce plate waste in school foodservice, foodservice staff need to involve students in school foodservice and improve the palatability of meals, especially vegetable dishes. School nutrition teachers and dietitians should educate students about healthy eating and environment conservation and the school community needs to understand and support plate waste reduction and healthy eating in schools.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.69-73
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• 2016

Generation of food waste is a serious issue that needs to be addressed worldwide. Developing suitable treatment methods while generating energy (methane) is a common practice for sustainable treatment of waste. In this study, methane generation by food waste was investigated in mesophilic and thermophilic regimes at various hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and organic loading rates (OLR). In temperature regimes, influent concentrations and HRTs ranged from 30 to 110 g COD/L and 18 to 30 days, respectively, which corresponding to an OLR of 1.0 to $6.1kg\;COD/m^3-d$. Better methane production and organic removal was observed under thermophilic conditions because of the enhanced hydrolysis of complex polymers and microbial activity at higher temperature. The peak methane productivities attained in thermophilic and mesophilic regimes were 1.30 and $0.99m^3/m^3-d$, respectively. The maximum methane yields were achieved at 50 g COD/L and HRT of 24 d in both cases, and the values were 264 and $221m^3/ton$ COD, respectively. The results of this study will facilitate the development of sustainable methane production technologies using food waste as a feedstock.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.90-99
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• 2005

This study was conducted to survey the attitude of Chuncheon citizens on food waste generation. About 50% of the citizens were generating $5{\sim}10{\ell}$ of MSW (municipal solid wastes) a week. These answers were almost from below 35 years old. And the citizens answered that the ratio of FW (food waste) to MSW were 10-30%. They were generating FW enveloped in a standardized vinyl bag after dewatering. About 10% of the answers were generating FW with MSW without any dewatering. The reason for FW generation in large quantities was to cook and buy much more food materials than needed. They thought that malodor and harmful insect were the most severe problems from FW storage. The systematic management was the most needed in individual restaurants. They answered that an individual citizen should make an effort to reduce FW generation. However, in fact, they did not do their best to try to reduce FW generation. They agreed that an individual citizen should try to reform 'present food culture' and to think FW as resources.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.232-232
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• 2019

The persistence of drought periods and water scarcity is a growing public concern, as climate change projections indicate a more critical scenario in the future. The sustainability of water resources for the increasing population, and to ensuring crop production will unarguably be a daunting task for the water resources managers, with a projected 9.8 billion people by 2050 as well as the need to increase food production by 70 to 100%. Consequently, there is a need for significant irrigation water use for more crop production in the face of stiff competition among water users. However, the available natural resources are already over-constrained, and the allocation of more resources for food production is not feasible. Currently, about two-thirds of global water withdrawer is used by the agricultural sector while 48% of water resources in Korea is used for agricultural production. Despite the apparent ecological deficit and unfavorable conditions of resources utilization, a staggering amount of food waste occurs in the country. Moreover, wastage of food translates to waste of all the resources involved in the food production including water resources. Food waste can also be considered a serious potential for economic and environmental problems. Hence, exploring an alternative approach to efficient resources utilization in a more sustainable way can ensure considerable resources conservation. We hypothesized that reducing food waste will decline the demand for food production and consequently reduce the pressure on water resources. We investigated the food wastage across the food supply chain using the top-down datasets based on the FAO mass balance model. Furthermore, the water footprint of the estimated food wastage was assessed using the representative of selected food crops. The study revealed that the average annual food wastage across the food supply chain is 9.05 million tonnes, signifying 0.51 kg/capita/day and 48% of domestic food production. Similarly, an average of 6.29 Gm3 per annum of water resources was lost to food wastage, which translates to 40% of the total allotted water resources for agriculture in the country. These considerable resources could have been conserved or efficiently used for other purposes. This study demonstrated that zero food waste generation would significantly reduce the impact on freshwater resources and ensure its conservation. There is a need for further investigation on the food waste study using the bottom-up approach, specifically at the consumer food waste, since the top-down approach is based on estimations and many assumptions were made.