• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.770-776
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• 2018

This study measured the energy recovery rate of each municipal waste incineration facility according to the revised energy recovery rate estimation method, which targeted four municipal waste incineration facilities (Unit No. 7). The results calculated by the measuring instruments were used for each factor to estimate the recovery rate, and the available potential of available energy was examined by analyzing the energy production and valid consumption. As a result of the low heating value, 2,540 kcal/kg was calculated on average when the LHVw formula was applied, which is approximately 116 kcal/kg higher than the average design standard of 2,424 kcal/kg. The energy recovery rate was calculated as 96.9% on average based on production and 67.5% based on effective consumption, and the analysis shows that approximately 29.4% energy can be used.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.119-119
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• 2020

Globally, the demand for food and water resources are increasing rapidly with the growing concerns of meeting the projected population upsurge, specifically by 2050. The global population is projected to hit 9.8 billion in 2050 while the food demand is expected to increase by 77% from the 2007 base year. Moreover, the already scarce water resources, especially in the food-producing regions, expected to be significantly affected as food production already accounts for over 70% of the global water resources. However, the estimated food demand encapsulated the actual demand for both human consumption and animal feed in addition to the exuberant food waste at the consumption stage of the supply chain, notably in the developed countries. Managing the food consumption demand and food waste can have across-the-board benefits on water resources and other associated food production impacts. This study assessed the water-saving potentials through food waste in Korean households using the food waste data obtained from the direct weighing analysis. The household food waste collection and characterization were carried out during the summer (July), fall (September), and winter (December) seasons of 2019. The water footprint related to the food waste within Korean households was based on the water footprint concept, i.e. indirect water use. The results of our estimation showed that an average Korean household wasted 6.15 ± 4.36 kg daily, amounting to 12.53 ± 11.10 m3 of water resources associated with the waste. On the per capita basis, an average of 0.024 ± 0.017 kg/capita/day of food was wasted resulting to 0.049 ± 0.044 m3/capital/day of water resources wasted. The food waste types that accounted for the principal share in the water footprint were beef, soybean, rice and pork with values 30.7, 10.1, 9.6, and 7.5%, respectively. Considering that the production of meat and meat products are water intensive and the agricultural water use in Korea is largely for rice production, addressing the food waste of these two important agricultural products can be a hotspot for water saving potential in the country. This study therefore provides an insight to addressing the water scarcity in the country through reducing household food waste.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.16-33
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• 2011

Waste electrical and electronic equipment(WEEE or E-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste stream in Korea. The proper management of such equipment has become of major concern for solid waste professionals because of the large growth of the waste stream and the presence of a myriad of toxic materials with in it. In this paper in order to review the recycling system and recycling industries of the E-waste in Korea, the main frame concerning recycling of "Act on the Resources Recycling of Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment(WEEE) and End-of-life vehicles", recycling system, current recycling status, estimation of the E-waste generation, material flow of the E-waste, economics of PCB and recycling industries of the E-waste were surveyed.

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.408-408
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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 $6.29Gm^3$ 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Resources Recycling Conference
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• 2001.05b
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• pp.95-99
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• 2001

• Resources Recycling
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.3-14
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• 2012

In order to review the recycling status of urban mine resources in China, recycling of ELV(End of Life Vehicles), E-waste(WEEE) and nonferrous metals were surveyed. Number of the sales volume of the new vehicles were over more than ten million and number of discharge vehicles are increasing now. However, recycling system has not been managed smoothly in China. Though usage of home appliances in urban is similar with advanced countries, there are significant differences in rural community. In the other hand, China is the country with the largest E-waste import in the world. Production and consumption of the nonferrous metals are increasing year by year in China, but recycling of metals is not enough.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.3-9
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• 2003

In order to prospect current recycling status in Korea, legislative system and policies relating to recycling, wastes generation and recycling rate were reviewed. Approximately 260,400 ton/day of wastes was generated in 2001. 48,400 ton/day of household waste and 212,000 ton/day of industrial waste. During the last ten years, waste management laws such as waste disposal law, recycling law and environment friendly industry law were prepared. In this article, concerning over waste generation and recycling, recycling law, Extended Producer Responsibility System and the problems and technological developments associated with recycling were summarized.

• Journal of the Korean Solar Energy Society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2016

Biomass has been used for energy sources from the prehistoric age. Biomass are converted into solid, liquid or gaseous fuels and are used for heating, electricity generation or for transportation recently. Solid biofuels such as bio-chips or bio-pellet are used for heating or electricity generation. Liquid biofuels such as biodiesel and bioethanol from sugars or lignocellulosics are well known renewable transportation fuels. biogas produced from organic waste are also used for heating, generation and vehicles. Biomass resources for the production of above mentioned biofuels are classified under following 4 categories, such as forest biomass, agricultural residue biomass, livestock manure and municipal organic wastes. The energy potential of those biomass resources existing in Korea are estimated. The energy potential for dry biomass (forest, agricultural, municipal waste) were estimated from their heating value contained, whereas energy potential of wet biomass (livestock manure, food waste, waste sludge) is calculated from the biological methane potential of them on annual basis. Biomass resources potential of those 4 categories in Korea are estimated to be as follows. Forest biomass 355.602 million TOE, agricultural biomass 4.019 million TOE, livestock manure biomass 1.455 million TOE, and municipal organic waste 1.074 million TOE are available for biofuels production annually.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2000

In order to prospect current recycling status in Korea, wastes generation and recycling rate were reviewed. Approximately 188,600 ton/day of wastes was generated in 1998; 44,600 ton/day of domestic waste and 144,000 ton/day of industrial waste. During the last five years, waste management laws such as recycling law and environment friendly industry law were prepared. In this article, concerning over waste generation and recycling, the problems and technological developments associated with recycling were summarized.