Tae-Wan Jeon

The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has highlighted the need for sustainable lithium-ion battery (LIB) management. This study presents a material flow analysis (MFA) of EV LIBs in the Republic of Korea (RoK), using both a mass-based MFA and a substance flow analysis (SFA). The analysis defines 33 systems and 170 flows across the manufacturing, consumption, discharge and collection, and treatment stages, based on national statistics and data from 11 commercial facilities. In 2022, about 72,446 t of EV LIBs entered the consumption stage through new vehicle sales and battery replacements. However, domestic recovery was limited, as approximately 76.5% of used EVs were exported, reducing the volume of batteries available for recycling. The SFA, focusing on nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), and lithium (Li), showed recovery rates of 69% for Ni, 80% for Co, 1% for Mn, and 80% for Li. Mn was not recovered because its low market price made the recovery process economically impractical. Additional losses occurred from the incineration of separators containing black mass and lithium discharged through wastewater. These findings offer data-driven insights to improve recovery efficiency, guide policy, and enhance the circularity of EV LIB management in the RoK.

The importance of waste energy is increasing with increasing emphasis on carbon neutrality. Solid recovered fuels (SRFs) are manufactured to recycle waste into fuel form and can replace fossil fuels by recovering the heat generated by using them. This study calculated the manufacturing and energy recovery efficiency of SRF facilities. The manufacturing efficiency was calculated as the amount of SRFs manufactured compared to the amount of input waste. The energy recovery efficiency was calculated using the R1 method, which is applied to incineration heat energy recovery facilities. The manufacturing efficiency was 69.5%, which varies depending on the combustible material content of input waste. The energy recovery efficiency was 85.4%, which satisfied Korean energy recovery efficiency facility standards. Our study highlights the manufacturing and use of SRFs as one of the options for recycling waste and its potential as a substitute for fossil fuels.

This study involves a material flow analysis (MFA) of single-use plastics (SUPs) and packaging materials in the Republic of Korea, focusing on their short lifespans and significant contributions to plastic waste. Based on the MFA results, recommended policies for managing packaging materials and SUPs were proposed. In 2021, 6.340 Mt of synthetic resin were produced, with 39.7% (2.518 Mt) utilized for packaging materials and SUPs. The per capita consumption of these materials was 48.7 kg/year, surpassing global averages. The separate collection rate was 54.6%, with films (26.2%) and manufacturing facilities (10.6%) exhibiting the lowest rates. The overall recycling rate was 52.7%, and 981 t of recycled waste was directly placed in soil. The reliability of the MFA results was estimated to be 83.1%, which is an improvement compared to previous studies. Recommendations include reducing plastic use, expanding recycling infrastructure, raising public awareness, and implementing stricter regulations to control soil contamination.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 24,289 tons of infectious waste was generated in 2021 in Korea, a 320% increase compared to that generated in 2020 (5788 tons). The disposal of other healthcare waste has been delayed because COVID-19 infectious waste must be disposed of first, leading to long-term concerns related to the lack of healthcare waste disposal capacity. To solve this problem, this study investigated healthcare waste classification systems in Korea and overseas. We analyzed the current state of healthcare waste in Korea and compared the treatment methods and healthcare waste treatment systems by country. The results showed that Korea has a strict healthcare waste management system compared to other countries, which relies on dedicated incinerators and transport. It is difficult to expand incinerators exclusively for healthcare waste due to site selection issues because they incinerate infectious waste. Therefore, to solve the healthcare waste disposal problem, Korea should improve its management system to reduce treatment amounts. This study suggests that general healthcare waste that is considered less infectious should be excluded from healthcare waste-exclusive treatment and that sterilization/grinding as an intermediate treatment method should be allowed.

Waste incineration is a crucial component of waste management as it is the final stage of circular utilization and the initial phase of disposal. Effective waste management prioritizes energy recovery from waste and substantial waste volume reduction while committing to minimizing air pollutant emissions, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx). This study involves an in-depth analysis of operational data from 44 incineration facilities in South Korea spanning 5 years, supplemented by empirical measurements from 14 sites. This study aimed to assess three key aspects of these incineration facilities: (1) waste volume reduction characteristics, (2) energy recovery capabilities, and (3) NOx emission reduction performance. We examined how these elements interact within the policy framework governing incinerator management in South Korea. Quantitatively, incinerating 100 tons of municipal waste resulted in a gain of 338.7 m³ in landfill capacity and recovery of 637.5 GJ of energy in the form of heat or electricity. Notably, South Korean incineration facilities significantly extend the lifespan of landfill sites, aligning closely with the objectives of the South Korean Ministry of Environment’s “No More Direct Landfilling of Household Waste Policy”. This positive outcome is further reinforced by the “Incineration Tax Reduction Policy”, which incentivizes active efforts toward energy recovery during incineration. Our study provides decision-makers with valuable insights for achieving a harmonious equilibrium between environmental sustainability and resource utilization, thereby contributing to the continuous improvement of policies aimed at South Korea’s vision of achieving a circular economy.

Solid Refuse Fuel (SRF) manufacturing facilities process 4.72 million tons of waste annually. The residues generated after manufacturing SRF products account for 35–40% of the input waste, and most of them are finally disposed of in landfills. The process flow and management status of SRF manufacturing facilities were investigated, and the residues generated from SRF manufacturing facilities using municipaland industrial waste, respectively, were separated by particle size. The appropriate separation conditions for the residues according to the characteristics of the input raw materials were presented through the analysis of loss on ignition (LOI), organic foreign substance content, heating value, and carbon content. Based on this, the appropriate management criteria (draft) for the subsequent treatment of final residues were derived to improve recyclability. Residues generated in the SRF manufacturing process need to be additionally separated into combustibles and incombustibles through cylindrical rotary separating devices before subsequent the final disposal process.

Microplastics (MPs) are being widely detected in various ecosystems, including aquatic and terrestrial environments, which highlights the importance of MP management. MPs are released into the marine environment in various ways. Therefore, our study sought to characterize MPs discharged from different waste treatment facilities. This study focused on by-products of recycling facilities for synthetic polymer, synthetic fiber, rubber, and tire waste. The MPs in the samples were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed using TED-GC-MS and FTIR. The TED-GC-MS analysis results were as follows: Waste of Synthetic Polymer 2.02 μg/g (PP 1.46 μg/g, PE 0.56 μg/g), Waste of Synthetic Fiber 66.75 μg/g (PET 66.75 μg/g), Waste of Rubber N.D., Waste of Tyre 18.71 μg/g (PP 17.79 μg/g, PS 0.74 μg/g). The FTIR analysis results were divided into three sections: 0.02-0.1 mm (Section 1), 0.1-0.5 mm (Section 2), and 0.5-5.0 mm (Section 3). The number of microplastics for each sample was analyzed for WSP 24.01 ea/g (Section 1: 19.11 ea/kg, Section 2: 3.92 ea/ kg, Section 3: 0.98 ea/kg), WSF 501.44 ea/g, (Section 1: 302.40 ea/kg, Section 2: 187.02 ea/kg, Section 3: 12.02 ea/kg), WRB 10,510.01 ea/g (Section 1: 6,320.58 ea/kg, Section 2: 3,661.20 ea/kg, Section 3: 528.23 ea/kg), WTY 311.52 ea/ g (Section 1: 205.53 ea/kg, Section 2: 104.61 ea/kg, Section 3: 1.38 ea/kg). Therefore, a managements plan for waste treatment facilities must be prepared to reduce microplastics in Korea. Our findings provide a basis for the creation of such a plan in the future.

This study evaluated the explosive hazardous properties and the likelihood of dust explosion in four types of waste dust collected from industrial sites. Waste dust samples were collected from the cement manufacturing industry, aluminum, and aluminum alloy ingot manufacturing industry, and copper alloy and non-ferrous product manufacturing industry. We evaluated whether the dust waste contained explosive substances using a standard method. Additionally, the factors that may affect the dust explosion, the presence of combustible substances, average particle size, particle size distribution, particle shape, moisture content, and calorific value were also evaluated. It was confirmed that the likelihood of dust explosion of dust waste generated in the aluminum and aluminum alloy manufacturing industry is higher than that of dust waste generated in other industries.