• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.3-49
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• 2014

Growing interest of stakeholders on corporate responsibilities for environment and tightening environmental regulations are highlighting the importance of environmental management more than ever. However, companies' awareness of the importance of environment is still falling behind, and related academic works have not shown consistent conclusions on the relationship between environmental performance and economic performance. One of the reasons is different ways of measuring these two performances. The evaluation scope of economic performance is relatively narrow and the performance can be measured by a unified unit such as price, while the scope of environmental performance is diverse and a wide range of units are used for measuring environmental performances instead of using a single unified unit. Therefore, the results of works can be different depending on the performance indicators selected. In order to resolve this problem, generalized and standardized performance indicators should be developed. In particular, the performance indicators should be able to cover the concepts of both environmental and economic performances because the recent idea of environmental management has expanded to encompass the concept of sustainability. Another reason is that most of the current researches tend to focus on the motive of environmental investments and environmental performance, and do not offer a guideline for an effective implementation strategy for environmental management. For example, a process improvement strategy or a market discrimination strategy can be deployed through comparing the environment competitiveness among the companies in the same or similar industries, so that a virtuous cyclical relationship between environmental and economic performances can be secured. A novel method for measuring eco-efficiency by utilizing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which is able to combine multiple environmental and economic performances, is proposed in this report. Based on the eco-efficiencies, the environmental competitiveness is analyzed and the optimal combination of inputs and outputs are recommended for improving the eco-efficiencies of inefficient firms. Furthermore, the panel analysis is applied to the causal relationship between eco-efficiency and economic performance, and the pooled regression model is used to investigate the relationship between eco-efficiency and economic performance. The four-year eco-efficiencies between 2010 and 2013 of 23 companies are obtained from the DEA analysis; a comparison of efficiencies among 23 companies is carried out in terms of technical efficiency(TE), pure technical efficiency(PTE) and scale efficiency(SE), and then a set of recommendations for optimal combination of inputs and outputs are suggested for the inefficient companies. Furthermore, the experimental results with the panel analysis have demonstrated the causality from eco-efficiency to economic performance. The results of the pooled regression have shown that eco-efficiency positively affect financial perform ances(ROA and ROS) of the companies, as well as firm values(Tobin Q, stock price, and stock returns). This report proposes a novel approach for generating standardized performance indicators obtained from multiple environmental and economic performances, so that it is able to enhance the generality of relevant researches and provide a deep insight into the sustainability of environmental management. Furthermore, using efficiency indicators obtained from the DEA model, the cause of change in eco-efficiency can be investigated and an effective strategy for environmental management can be suggested. Finally, this report can be a motive for environmental management by providing empirical evidence that environmental investments can improve economic performance.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.589-600
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• 2007

Recently, with the rapid expansion of the franchise restaurants, ensuring food safety has become essential for restaurant growth. Consequently, the need for food safety training and related material is in increasing demand. In this study, we identified potentially hazardous risk factors for ensuring food safety in restaurants through a food safety monitoring tool, and developed training materials for restaurant employees based on the results. The surveyed restaurants, consisting of 6 Korean restaurants and 1 Japanese restaurant were located in Seoul. Their average check was 15,500 won, ranging from 9,000 to 23,000 won. The range of their total space was 297.5 to $1322.4m^2$, and the amount of kitchen space per total area ranged from 4.4 to 30 percent. The mean score for food safety management performance was 57 out of 100 points, with a range of 51 to 73 points. For risk factor analysis, the most frequently cited sanitary violations involved the handwashing methods/handwashing facilities supplies (7.5%), receiving activities (7.5%), checking and recording of frozen/refrigerated foods temperature (0%), holding foods off the floor (0%), washing of fruits and vegetables (42%), planning and supervising facility cleaning and maintaining programs of facilities (50%), pest control (13%), and toilet equipped/cleaned (13%). Base on these results, the main points that were addressed in the hygiene training of restaurant employees included 4 principles and 8 concepts. The four principles consisted of personal hygiene, prevention of food contamination, time/temperature control, and refrigerator storage. The eight concepts included: (1) personal hygiene and cleanliness with proper handwashing, (2) approved food source and receiving management (3) refrigerator and freezer control, (4) storage management, (5) labeling, (6) prevention of food contamination, (7) cooking and reheating control, and (8) cleaning, sanitation, and plumbing control. Finally, a hygiene training manual and poster leaflets were developed as a food safety training materials for restaurants employees.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.3 s.62
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• pp.424-439
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• 1998

Urinary cadmium is used as a sensitive indicator for internal Cd dose, and increased excretion of $N-acetyl-\beta-D-glucosaminidase(NAG)$, $\beta_2-microglobulin(MG)$ and total protein are useful indices for renal dysfunction by chronic exposure to Cd. The target group was 184 inhabitant(82 men and 102 women) in an abandoned mine area known as exposure to low level Cd. The control group was took 160 individuals(64 men and 96 women) in Cd not-exposed area. Urinary Cd concentration was significantly higher in the target group than the control. The geometric mean of urinary Cd for male was $2.56{\mu}g/\ell,\;2.80{\mu}g/g$ creatinine and $2.50{\mu}g/S.G.$ in the target group and $1.19{\mu}g/\ell,\;1.36{\mu}g/g$ creatinine and $1.17{\mu}g/S.G.$ in the control. For female $2.69{\mu}g/\ell,\;3.94{\mu}g/g$ creatinine and $2.63{\mu}g/S.G.$ in the target group and $1.27{\mu}g/\ell,\;1.97{\mu}g/g$ creatinine and $1.25{\mu}g/S.G.$ in the control, respectively. In addition, urinary Cd of the target group had affected by the period of residence and dietary habit for the rice and the vegetables from the target area. These findings suggest the chronic exposure to Cd of the target population. Mean excretion of urinary NAG, $\beta_2-MG$ and total protein were not significant between two groups. In the target group, urinary NAG activity and total protein were significantly correlated with urinary Cd, but $\beta_2-MG$ was not related. Urinary excretion of NAG, $\beta_2-MG$ and total protein were significantly increased in $10\leqq$ than in <2 of urinary Cd level. In $2\sim10$ group of urinary Cd level, the excretion of NAG significantly increased while not showed for $\beta_2-MG$. In present study, urinary excretion of NAG was relatively sensitive than $\beta_2-MG$ in chronic exposure population to low level Cd.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.158-173
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• 2012

The objectives of this study were to analyze the longitudinal gradient and temporal variations of water quality in Daecheong Reservoir in relation to the major inflowing streams from the watershed, during 2001~2010. For the study, we selected 7 main-stream sites of the reservoir along the main axis of the reservoir, from the headwater to the dam and 8 tributary streams. In-reservoir nutrients of TN and TP showed longitudinal declines from the headwater to the dam, which results in a distinct zonation of the riverine ($R_z$, M1~M3), transition ($T_z$, M4~M6), and lacustrine zone ($L_z$, M7) in water quality, as shown in other foreign reservoirs. Chlorophyll-a (CHL) and BOD as an indicator of organic matter, were maximum in the $T_z$. Concentration of total phosphorus (TP) was the highest (8.52 $mg\;L^{-1}$) on March in the $R_z$, and was the highest (165 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) in the $L_z$ on July. Values of TN was the maximum (377 ${\mu}g\;L^{-1}$) on August in the $R_z$, and was the highest (3.76 $mg\;L^{-1}$) in the $L_z$ on August. Ionic dilution was evident during September~October, after the monsoon rain. The mean ratios of TN : TP, as an indicator of limiting factor, were 88, which indicates that nitrogen is a surplus for phytoplankton growth in this system. Nutrient analysis of inflowing streams showed that major nutrient sources were headwater streams of T1~T2 and Ockcheon-Stream of T5, and the most influential inflowing stream to the reservoir was T5, which is located in the mid-reservoir, and is directly influenced by the waste-water treatment plants. The key parameters, influenced by the monsoon rain, were TP and suspended solids (SS). Empirical models of trophic variables indicated that variations of CHL in the $R_z$ ($R^2$=0.044, p=0.264) and $T_z$ ($R^2$=0.126, p=0.054) were not accounted by TN, but were significant (p=0.032) in the $L_z$. The variation of the log-transformed $I_r$-CHL was not accounted ($R^2$=0.258, p=0.110) by $I_w$-TN of inflowing streams, but was determined ($R^2$=0.567, p=0.005) by $I_w$-TP of inflowing streams. In other words, TP inputs from the inflowing streams were the major determinants on the in-reservoir phytoplankton growth. Regression analysis of TN : TP suggested that the ratio was determined by P, rather than N. Overall, our data suggest that TP and suspended solids, during the summer flood period, should be reduced from the eutrophication control and P-input from Ockcheon-Stream should be controlled for water quality improvement.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess hygiene status of meals for poorly-fed children through microbiological quality. Methods: Meals were provided by two social enterprises, one franchise, and one convenience store. There were a total of six meal samples; two samples (social enterprise meal 1; SEM 1, social enterprise meal 2; SEM 2) from two social enterprises, respectively, two samples (franchise meal 1; FM 1, franchise meal 2; FM 2) from one franchise, and two samples (convenience store meal 1; CSM 1, convenience store meal 2; CSM 2) from one convenience store. Microbiological analysis and assessment were performed by Korean food standards codex (KFSC). Results: General bacteria and E. coli in SEM 1 were detected, but the levels were not over KFSC, and Coliform less than $9.2{\times}10$ CFU/g was also detected in seasoned bean sprouts of SEM 1. General bacteria was detected at $1.6{\times}10^6$ CFU/g in cabbage kimchi of SEM 2. Coliform was detected in cabbage kimchi, squid cutlet, stir-fried pork, and fried chicken of FM1 and 2, but the levels were not over KFSC. In addition, S. aureus was detected in cabbage kimchi and seasoned dried white radish of FM 1 and 2 ($9.8{\times}10^2$ CFU/g, $9.4{\times}10^3$ CFU/g respectively), thus was over KFSC. B. cereus was detected in stir-fried pork and fried chicken ($1.2{\times}10^3$ CFU/g, $1.5{\times}10^3$ CFU/g respectively) of FM 1 and 2, thus was over KFSC. Finally, S. aureus was detected in stir-fried dried squid, seasoned spicy chicken, and stir-fried kimchi of CSM 1 and 2, and was over KFSC too ($9.5{\times}10^4$ CFU/g, $2.4{\times}10^2$ CFU/g, $1.3{\times}10^3$ CFU/g respectively). Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that systemic management of hygiene is necessary to safely providing meals to poorly-fed children.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.110-123
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• 2008

The use of CCA as a wood preservative was recently inhibited due to its environmental pollution and human harmfulness. Instead of CCA, copper azole (CuAz) and alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ) have been used as alternative wood preservatives, but the price of the preservatives is much more expensive than that of CCA. As a substitute for high-priced CuAz and ACQ, environmentally friendly wood preservatives were formulated with okara, which is an organic waste from the production of tofu. Prior to formulating the preservatives, okara was hydrolyzed by three levels of sulfuric acid concentration (1, 2.5 and 5%) to easily penetrate the effective components of the preservatives into wood blocks. Final preservative solutions were formulated with the hydrolyzed okara and metal salts, such as copper sulfate, copper chloride and borax. The preservatives were treated into wood blocks by vacuum-pressure method to measure the treatability of the preservatives, and the treated wood blocks were placed in hot water for three days to measure the leachability of the preservatives. The effective components of the preservatives might be successfully penetrated into wood blocks through the uses of hydrolyzed okara and ammonia water. However, the leached amount of effective components was increased as the concentration of acid used for the hydrolysis of okara increased. The treatability and leachability of the preservatives were not affected by hydrolysis temperature but negatively affected by the addition of borax. Based on the results above, the optimal conditions for formulating okara-based wood preservatives cost-effectively and environmentally might be 1% acid hydrolysis of okara and the use of $CuCl_2$ as a metal salt. In addition, the treatability and leachability of okara-based wood preservatives were superior or no differences comparing with those of CuAz. Therefore, it is concluded that okara-based wood preservatives might have a potential to be used as an environmentally friendly wood preservative.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.460-466
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• 2009

Carbon fixation and density of crops are important to estimate carbon uptake or emission by agricultural production activities and to establish life cycle inventory of crops for assessment of climate change impact. In this study, regional carbon fixation and density in each part of 14 crops, harvest index, and ratio of aboveground to underground were investigated to estimate biomass of 14 crops in Korea by using agricultural statistics data. Biomass yield of potato was $16.5ton\;ha^{-1}$, which was the highest, and those of rice, sweet potato, and garlic were $10.5ton\;ha^{-1}$, $8.7ton\;ha^{-1}$, and $7.5ton\;ha^{-1}$ respectively. Biomass yield of Green onion was the lowest as $2.8ton\;ha^{-1}$. Carbon density of 14 crops were in the order of potato ($6.4ton\;ha^{-1}$), rice ($4.2ton\;ha^{-1}$), sweet potato ($3.4ton\;ha^{-1}$), rape ($2.9ton\;ha^{-1}$) and garlic ($2.8ton\;ha^{-1}$). Regional distribution of carbon contents for each crop mapped revealed that carbon fixation of rice, soybean, sesame, garlic, and green onion were the highest in Jeonnam province, barley, red pepper, and watermelon in Gyeongnam, perilla in Chungnam, peanut in Gyeongbuk, rape and carrot in Jeju, sweet potato in Gyeonggi, potato in Gangwon. The results can be applied for assessing life cycle inventory of crops and crop productivity using remotely sensed data.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.113-132
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• 1999

Recently in Korea, application of the soil nailing is gradually extended to the sites of excavations and slopes having various ground conditions and field characteristics. Design of the soil nailing is generally carried out in two steps, The First step is to examine the minimum safety factor against a sliding of the reinforced nailed-soil mass based on the limit equilibrium approach, and the second step is to check the maximum displacement expected to occur at facing using the numerical analysis technique. However, design parameters related to the soil nailing system are so various that a reliable design method considering interrelationships between these design parameters is continuously necessary. Additionally, taking into account the anisotropic characteristics of in-situ grounds, disturbances in collecting the soil samples and errors in measurements, a systematic analysis of the field measurement data as well as a rational technique of the optimum design is required to improve with respect to economical efficiency. As a part of these purposes, in the present study, a procedure for the optimum design of a soil nailing excavation wall system is proposed. Focusing on a minimization of the expenses in construction, the optimum design procedure is formulated based on the genetic algorithm. Neural network theory is further adopted in predicting the maximum horizontal displacement at a shotcrete facing. Using the proposed procedure, various effects of relevant design parameters are also analyzed. Finally, an optimized design section is compared with the existing design section at the excavation site being constructed, in order to verify a validity of the proposed procedure.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 2013

This study has been performed for 150 days from February 1 - June 31, 2012 aiming at analyzing biologically hazardous factors in order to develop HACCP system for the vinegared pickle radishes. A process chart was prepared as shown on Fig. 1 by referring to manufacturing process of manufacturer of general vinegared pickle radishes regarding process of raw agricultural products of vinegared pickle radishes, used water, warehousing of additives and packing material, storage, careful selection, washing, peeling off, cutting, sorting out, stuffing (filling), internal packing, metal detection, external packing, storage and consignment (delivery). As a result of measuring Coliform group, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, Listeria Monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Clostridium perfringens, Yeast and Mold before and after washing raw radishes, Bacillus cereus was $5.00{\times}10$ CFU/g before washing but it was not detected after washing and Yeast and Mold was $3.80{\times}10^2$ CFU/g before washing but it was reduced to 10 CFU/g after washing and other pathogenic bacteria was not detected. As a result of testing microorganism variation depending on pH (2-5) of seasoning fluid (condiment), pH 3-4 was determined as pH of seasoning fluid as all the bacteria was not detected in pH3-4. As a result of testing air-borne bacteria (number of general bacteria, colon bacillus, fungus) depending on each workplace, number of microorganism of internal packing room, seasoning fluid processing room, washing room and storage room was detected to be 10 CFU/Plate, 2 CFU/Plate, 60 CFU/Plate and 20 CFU/Plate, respectively. As a result of testing palm condition of workers, as number of general bacteria and colon bacillus was represented to be high as 346 $CFU/Cm^2$ and 23 $CFU/Cm^2$, respectively, an education and training for individual sanitation control was considered to be required. As a result of inspecting surface pollution level of manufacturing facility and devices, colon bacillus was not detected in all the specimen but general bacteria was most dominantly detected in PP Packing machine and Siuping machine (PE Bulk) as $4.2{\times}10^3CFU/Cm^2$, $2.6{\times}10^3CFU/Cm^2$, respectively. As a result of analyzing above hazardous factors, processing process of seasoning fluid where pathogenic bacteria may be prevented, reduced or removed is required to be controlled by CCP-B (Biological) and threshold level (critical control point) was set at pH 3-4. Therefore, it is considered that thorough HACCP control plan including control criteria (point) of seasoning fluid processing process, countermeasures in case of its deviation, its verification method, education/training and record control would be required.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.2A
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• pp.129-136
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• 2011

Recently studies on functional concrete with a photocatalytic material such as $TiO_2$ have actively been carried out in order to remove air pollutants. The absorbtion of $TiO_2$ from those studies is applied by it being directly mixed into concrete or by suspension coated on the surface. When it comes to the effectiveness, the former process is less than that of the latter compared with the $TiO_2$ use. As a result, the direct coating of $TiO_2$ on materials' surface is more used for effectiveness. The Surface spread of it needs to have a more than $400^{\circ}C$ heat treat done to stimulate the activation and adhesion of photocatalysis. Heat treat consequently leads hydration products in concrete to be dehydrated and shrunk and is the cause of cracking. The study produces $TiO_2$ used Sol-gel method which enables it to be coated with a low temperature treat, applies it to pearlite using Lightweight Aggregate Concrete fixed with a low temperature treat and evaluates the spread performance of it. In addition to this, the size of pearlite is divided into two types: One is 2.5 mm to 5.0 mm and the other is more than 5.0 mm for the benefit of finding out the removal characteristics of $CH_3CHO$ whether they are affected by pearlite size, mixing method and ratio with $TiO_2$ and elapsed time. The result of this experiment shows that although $TiO_2$ produced by Sol-gel method is treated with 120 temperature, it maintains a high spread rate on the XRF(X ray Florescence) quantitative analysis which ranks $TiO_2$ 38 percent, $SiO_2$ 29 percent and CaO 18 percent. In the size of perlite from 2.5 mm to 5.0 mm, the removal characteristic of $CH_3CHO$ from a low temperature heated Lightweight concrete appears 20 percent higher when $TiO_2$ with Sol-gel method is spreaded on the 7 percent of surface. In other words, the removal rate is 94 percent compared with the 72 percent where $TiO_2$ is mixed in 10 percent surface. In more than 5.0 mm sized perlite, the removal rate of $CH_3CHO$, when $TiO_2$ is mixed with 10 percent, is 69 percent, which is similar with that of the previous case. It suggests that the size of pearlite has little effects on the removal rate of $CH_3CHO$. In terms of Elapsed time, the removal characteristic seems apparent at the early stage, where the average removal rate for the first 10 hours takes up 84 percent compared with that of 20 hours.