Evaluation of the eco-efficiency of waste treatment facilities in Korea

As waste treatment facilities become old, their operation and maintenance costs could increase, which translates to higher treatment costs and environmental burden. This study applies the concept of eco-efficiency to evaluate waste treatment facilities considering the various conditions of waste treatment operations based on the case of Korea. In Korea, waste treatment methods were largely divided into five categories, and facilities for each treatment method were chosen based on their size, location, and waste properties for data collection. The method for evaluating the facilities' eco-efficiencies were developed using the concepts of environmental and economic performances. The results of the eco-efficiency evaluation showed that landfills were most environmentally efficient, followed by the organic waste biogasification facilities, food waste recycling facilities, incineration facilities, and, lastly, combustible waste-to-fuel facilities. The results of the eco-efficiency evaluation were further reviewed in terms of three factors which assess the status of existing facilities as well as to identify the environmental and economic indicators which significantly affect the eco-efficiency of waste treatment facilities by treatment method and propose strategic policies for promoting better waste treatment operations.