Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science (한국산림과학회지)

Korean Society of Forest Science (한국산림과학회)
권호 표지

Paper Recycling of South Korea and its Effects on Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction and Forest Conservation

  • Cha, Junhee (Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University) ;
  • YOUN, Yeo-Chang (Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2008.08.11
  • Accepted : 2008.09.23
  • Published : 2008.10.31
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Abstract

The study evaluates the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential of paper recycling by paper industry in South Korea and determines the positive impact on global warming by conserving the world's forests through decreasing pulp wood use. South Korea is one of the leading countries in the world thai recycle papers with a collection rate of 71.8 percent and a recycling rate of 74.4 percent in 2005. Greenhouse gas emission reduction potential in terms of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) equivalent from paper recycling was assessed scientifically by the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Three types of papers including newsprint, container-board, and white-board were used for assessment in this study. Results of this study indicate that $CO_2$ emission reduction potential of recycling paper varies according to its types and recycling rates. Greenhouse gas emission reduction factor of 0.74869 $tCO_2$ per ton of recycled paper was derived from this study. In applying this factor. it was found out that the South Korean paper industry reduced GHG emission of around 6,364,550 $tCO_2$ by recycling paper in 2005. With this. the country's paper industry could claim that by recycling in thai particular year. approximately $23.8million\;m^3$ of woods were not harvested and thus 212,500 ha of world's forests were estimated to be saved in that particular year. Overall. it could be concluded that the Korean paper industry was able to reduce $CO_2$ emission and was able to conserve world's forests by its high rates of paper recycling.

Keywords

References

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