Comparative Analysis of Best Available Techniques Reference Documents on the Manufacture of Cement in Korea and European Union

The Integrated Environmental Management System is a system that moves away from the traditional single-medium approach and adopts a medium-integrated approach to achieve a higher level of environmental protection. Korea has been implementing the Integrated Environmental Management System since 2017, and as of 2024, total of 19 industries have received integrated permits. In 2023, the cement manufacturing industry was added to the list of industries subject to the Integrated Environmental Management System. As a critical industry with significant emission of air pollutants and particulate matter, it requires systematic environmental management that prioritizes public health and sustainability. This study aims to compare and analyze the Best Available Technique Reference Documents (BREFs) for the cement manufacturing industry in Korea and the European Union (EU) to explore environmental management improvement strategies for Korea’s cement industry. The analysis revealed that the K-BREF provides strong practical guidelines and is more focused on industrial sites, while the EU-BREF is characterized by an integrated environmental management approach reflecting carbon neutrality strategies and resource circulation policies. Particularly in terms of waste fuel management, the EU-BREF provided specific details on waste handling and preparation processes, suitability assessment of waste fuels, lists of maximum allowable substance values, and actual application cases. Additionally, the BAT-AEL (Best Available Techniques Associate Emission Level) and monitoring intervals were also further specified. In contrast, the K-BREF reflects the early stage of implementing an integrated environmental management system, resulting in a lack of technical examples related to waste fuels and BAT-AEL standards being limited to a single criterion per pollutant. The Korean cement industry must expand its use of waste fuels to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets of 12% by 2030 and 53% by 2050. Accordingly, specific multi-media integrated control standards should be established. To effectively respond to increasingly stringent emission regulations and ensure sustainable environmental management, a multi-faceted approach including regulatory improvements, technological development, and policy support is essential.