• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.54-67
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• 2006

This study was performed to deduct the extension possibility of the standards establishment for $NO_2$, $O_3$, Asbestos, Radon, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) excluded in the indoor air part of Industrial Safety Acts in Korea. The air pollutants were sampled for 30 office buildings from August to September, 2005 in the metropolitan area. The airborne concentrations of $NO_2$, $O_3$, Radon and TVOC were 0.0092 ppm, 0.0035 ppm, 0.57 pCi/L and $423{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The management plan and reduction methods is required in the aspect of indoor air quality(IAQ) because the emission sources of those also exist in indoor as well as outdoor even though those were not exceeded the standards of the Ministry of Environment in Korea. The standard for TVOC in the new and remodeling office has to be established based on the risk assessment when hazard index exceeded "1" in the worst case scenario. In the state of art, the management of each volatile organic compounds has a difficulty due to not enough data for toxicological reference. Therefore, it is suggested that first of all, the standard for TVOC be established and then expanded to each materials for decision-making of improvement of IAQ in office.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.32 no.2 s.89
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• pp.140-148
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• 2006

Recently, indoor air quality (IAQ) in workplace, residential environments and schools has been concerned of people, scientists and related the public, and has recognized the health effects related to indoor air pollution. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the characteristics of IAQ in 55 kindergartens, elementary school, middle schools, and high schools from June, 2004 to May, 2005 in Korea. We measured indoor air pollutants($PM_{10},\;CO_2$, HCHO, total bacteria colony(TBC), CO, radon, TVOCs, asbestos, and $O_3$), and physical factors(noise, temperature, relative humidity, and illumination) with necessary of management for IAQ in school. We classified into 5 kinds of the school by period since building completion, <1 year, 1-3 years, 3-5 years, and 5-10 years. The concentration of pollutants and the level of physical factors compared with standards and guidelines of IAQ on the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development. The major results obtained from this study were as follows. Temperature, relative humidity and illumination among the physical factors did not exceed the standards, but noise exceeded it. Asbestos and $O_3$ did not detect in surveyed classrooms. CO, TBC, TVOCs, and HCHO in kindergartens, TBC in elementary schools, TBC, TVOCs dnd HCHO in middle schools, and HCHO in high schools detected the standards. This study is conducted as a part of efforts to provide a foundational data for further relative researches on management of IAQ of school. Therefore, we suggest that country plan for management of IAQ in school should be established through long-term and continuous investigation for assessment on IAQ in school and health risk assessment for students.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.57-82
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• 2005

In this study, we propose methods for. the efficient management and integrity of groundwater in response to a diminishing supply. As an alternative water resource for the future. we investigated and comparatively analyzed the quality standards of groundwater in the US (New York, Wisconsin and Texas), Austria, Netherlands, Canada, Japan and United Kingdom. These developed countries heavily depend on groundwater, more than 70%, for drinking water and apply those drinking water standards to groundwater quality. However, there exists few differences in the quality standards of groundwater among the countries, because each country possesses its own individual environment and management. In Korea, surface water pollution is getting serious and its water resources are diminishing. Therefore we propose several new quality criteria that many countries regulate at these days for their efficient management of groundwater. There is a need to divide BTEX criterion into Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene, individually. In. addition, it is needed to establish BTEX criteria into agricultural water and industrial water use standards as well as daily life use standards. Also, regulations for some PAHs, showing carcinogenicity, are required. Due to rapid industrialization various hazardous chemicals were utilized and their uses are increasing each year. Therefore, there is a strong need to introduce n~w standards and tighter regulations of the levels. At the same time, the criterion of nitrogenous compounds need' to be regulated individually in order to prevent the damage incurred by the compounds. Several developed countries have established standards for radon, previously caused environmental accidents in Korea. Therefore, we propose the necessity of groundwater quality standards for radon in this study.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4B
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• pp.261-266
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• 2012

In this study, soil environmental impact assessment using risk-based approach was compared with that using concentration-based approach. For this, heavy metal contaminant exposure was characterized in an abandoned mine area. According to the estimated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, soil ingestion was identified as the most dominant exposure pathway. When contaminant concentrations exceeded the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards, their corresponding risk values also exceeded the Total Soil Risk Standard. Even the cases of satisfying the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards mostly showed higher risk levels than the Total Soil Risk Standard, re-confirming a more sensitivity of the risk-based assessment than concentration-based assessment. However, the in-depth analysis of the estimated non-carcinogenic risk values revealed a few cases for soil contact pathway showing contaminant concentrations higher than the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards although their non-carcinogenic risk values satisfied the level of Hazard Index Standard. The findings from this study support a necessity of shifting policy paradigm from concentration-based approach into risk-based approach for reliable risk assessment in abandoned mine areas, and also suggest a necessity of further fundamental studies regarding risk factors and standards.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.505-505
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• 2022

This study shows the first output of the three-year project (2021-2023) to develop a Smart Water City (SWC) Global Standard and Certification Scheme ley by K-water, International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and Asia Water Council (AWC). There are three major parts in the first year. In Part 1, it investigates the essential features of cities today and details the water challenges currently faced and likely to be confronted in the future. It also investigates the functions that water fulfills in the urban environment, and how ICTs can contribute to improving those functions by each Urban Water Cycle. A definition of a Smart Water City is proposed following a discussion on the meaning of "smart development". This part of the report also presents different city cases from countries around the world to illustrate the urban water challenges and the technological and non-technological solutions that cities have put in place, including national and/or local policies and strategies. In Part 2, it defines what global standards indicators and certification schemes are and identifies their characteristics. Especially, it analyses in detail eight relevant standards and certification schemes measuring sustainable development and/or water resources management in urban settings. Standards elaborated by international organizations are distinguished from those developed by the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and by academia. Finally, this study suggests the right direction to develop SWC global standard frameworks and certification schemes. And then, it shows the main tasks for the Stage 2 (second year) project. Basically, the framework for a future SWC standard (consisting three main pillars: Technical, Governance and Prospective pillars) will be fully defined in Stage 2.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.1-12
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• 2010

As social environment of Korea was changing, the cremation is increased instead of traditional funeral culture. Therefore woodland burial appears new funeral culture in Korea. This research had been executed to find out the problem of soil and vegetation environments of woodland burial forest. The case study was worked at woodland burial in Incheon Family funeral services which was national pilot project. The problem of soil and vegetation environments were surveyed in slope, soil compaction, actual vegetation, vegetation communities, structure of forest communities and so on. The results from this study indicate that woodland burial construction didn't consider the damage and management of vegetation environment in Incheon Family funeral Services. Problems for the Law on funeral facilities of Korea is a lack of natural friendly standards for slope, management on structure of forest communities, facilities for users in it. It had steep topography, soil compaction, reduction of species diversity and poor plant growth on woodland burial in Incheon Family funeral Services. Therefore the users of it increase in the future, vegetation environment of woodland burial will be devastated. And so we need to improve standards of woodland burial construction and management to settle down burial culture of woodland burial in Korea.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of the concentrations of selected trace metals and inorganic anions in five types of drinking water samples (mineral spring water, well water, small community water, municipal tap water, and commercial mineral water) collected from Chuncheon, Gangwon-do in 2007. Forty four samples were analyzed for five metals and five anions using an atomic absorption spectrometer and an ion chromatograph, respectively. Arsenic (As) and nitrate (${NO_3}^-$) concentrations in some groundwater samples did not meet the future (10 ${\mu}g/L$) and current (44 mg/L) Korean drinking water standards, respectively. On the other hand, any municipal tap water samples, the sources of which were lake surface water, satisfied the Korean standards. Human health risk assessment results showed that arsenic in all types of water, especially groundwater including commercial mineral water, may pose both noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic effects on the residents. It is concluded that groundwater is not safe drinking water any longer and that a national survey and follow-up measures need to be taken.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.439-446
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• 2006

The effluent discharge standards of industrial wastewater has become more stringent since 2003. Many industrial wastewater treatment plants has been upgraded to advanced treatment facilities. There are high concentrations of nitrate(>200 mg/L) and ammonium(>50 mg/L) nitrogen in the acrylic fiber wastewater of H textile Co. Wastewater from acrylic fiber industry containing acrylonitrile, which may affect the subsequent biological treatment process. Manufacturing of acrylic fiber also produces shock loadings. Excessive acrylonitrile and polymer debris produced in the polymerization process was screened, coagulated with CaO and settled down. A preaeration system was added to treat this high pH effluent to remove volatile organic compound and ammonia nitrogen by the air stripping effect. it was found that nitrification rate was not sufficient in the Anoxic/Oxic(AO) process. One denitrification tank was converted to nitrification reactor to extend HRT of nitrification. Nitrification rate of ammonia nitrogen was promoted from 32% to 67% by this modification and effluent nitrogen concentration was well satisfied with the effluent standards since then.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.985-992
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• 2007

There are about 40,000 chemicals used in Korea and 300 new types of chemicals are added to the list every year, influencing quality of air, soil and water. Water quality standards that serve as the basis for water quality management have been proved inefficient and insufficient compared to those of advanced countries. This study aims to improve the existing water quality standards. Most importantly, the water quality standards need to take into account not only protection of human health but also aquatic resources. To that end, water quality criteria need to be set by monitoring each watershed every year and conducting risk assessment. Criteria for human health are set at $10^{-6}$ cancer risk level, and for aquatic life at conservative level, adopting the methodology of the U.S. and Australia, respectively. After carrying out technical and economic feasibility studies, more conservative criteria will be used to decide final water quality standards. The development of this system to establish integrated water quality standards for both human health and aquatic resources protection is urgently needed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.53-70
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• 2022

Recently, due to the change to SASB(Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) and GRI(Global Reporting Initiative) Standards 2021, the paradigm for non-financial information disclosure is changing significantly, with the number of ESG topics and indicators that must be disclosed by industry from an autonomous material topic selection method. This study revealed that the number of compulsory topics in the oil and gas industry by GRI standards 2021 is up to 2.4 times higher than the average number of material topics disclosed when domestic companies publish sustainability reports using GRI Standards 2020. In the oil and gas industry, I analyzed the similarities and differences between the GRI standards 2021 and the ESG topics covered by SASB by environmental, social, economic, and governance areas. In addition, the materiality test process, which is different in GRI standards 2021, is introduced, and the issues included in the following 10 representative ESG-related initiatives are summarized into 62 and suggested improvement plans for materiality test used in the topic pool.