• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.65 no.4
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• pp.11-23
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• 2023

In Korea, open burning of agricultural residues is prevalent due to inadequate collection systems, which have caused environmental impacts such as GHGs and particulates. This illegal treatment of agricultural residues also results in economic loss, considering that agricultural residues can be utilized as resources such as pellets and energy sources. To understand the effect of avoiding open burning, this study evaluated the economic, environmental, and social effects of two alternative management options for agricultural residues: incineration and pelletizing. The study estimates the potential amount and dry weight by region for 18 items, taking various factors into account. Regarding the economic aspect, pelletizing facilities in all regions in Korea create economic benefits. This study shows that most regions have an environmental advantage by pelletizing residues. However, incineration creates more environmental benefits than pelletizing in metropolitan cities with relatively low density of residues. It is expected that the environmental, economic, and social findings of this study can be used to inform policies for bioenergy as the need for agricultural residue increases.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2015

Biomass burning is known to be one of the main sectors emitting greenhouse gases as well as air pollutants. Unfortunately, the inventory of biomass burning sector has not been established well. We estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) and air pollution (AP) integrated emissions from biomass burning sector in Seoul during year 2010. The data of GHG and AP emissions from biomass burning, classified into open burning, residential fireplace and wood stove, meat cooking, fires, and cremation, were obtained from Statistics Korea and Seoul City. Estimation methodologies and emission factors were gathered from reports and published literatures. Estimated GHG and AP integrated emissions during year 2010 were $3,867tonCO_{2eq}$, and 2,320 tonAP, respectively. Major sources of GHG were forest fires ($1,533tonCO_{2eq}$) and waste open burning ($1,466tonCO_{2eq}$), while those of AP were meat cooking (1,240 tonAP) and fire incidence (907 tonAP). Total emissions by administrative district in Seoul, representing similar patterns in both GHG and AP, indicated that Seocho-gu and Gangseo-gu were the largest emitters whereas Jung-gu was the smallest emitter, ranged in $2{\sim}165tonCO_{2eq}$ and 0.1~8.31 tonAP. GHG emissions per $km^2$ showed different results from total emissions in that Gwanak-gu, Jungnang-gu, Gangdong-gu and Seodaemun-gu were the largest emitters, while Seocho-gu and Gangseo-gu were near-averaged emission districts, ranged in $0.2{\sim}21tonCO_{2eq}/km^2$. However, AP emissions per $km^2$ revealed relatively minor differences among districts, ranged in $2.3{\sim}6.1tonAP/km^2$.