Environment ministry launches study to activate cattle manure solid fuel

The environment ministry said Thursday it is launching a field-based research project to activate the use of cattle manure as a solid fuel source. The National Institute of Environmental Research will hold a kickoff meeting on Sept. 18 at the JK Biz Center in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Collecting and utilizing manure generated within local areas allows for stable management of livestock waste and simultaneous reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The ministry has been working to build an ecosystem for cattle manure solid fuel by reorganizing permitting requirements and quality standards under the Act on the Management and Utilization of Livestock Manure effective July 30. Effective implementation requires prior verification of environmental impact, quality and economic feasibility centered on field conditions.

The project will cooperate with academic experts and local governments to secure data across the entire process, from manure generation to production stages and final fuel quality. The team will begin work on three tasks: a field-based survey of actual manure generation, analysis of quality and material balance at each process stage, and derivation of customized policy recommendations.

First, the team will compare differences between the actual amount of manure discharged from farms and the intake volume at currently operating solid fuel production facilities. About 10 representative farms near production facilities and a Hanwoo farm with 300 head of cattle have been designated as core sample farms for periodic sampling.

Second, researchers will analyze the material and energy balance, quality and moisture content at each process stage from raw manure to finished products. This will secure scientific evidence for salt and phosphorus concentration and calculate the potential volume for solid fuel conversion.

Third, two consultation meetings involving producers, demanders and local governments are scheduled for late this year and early next year to derive policy recommendations that reflect diverse on-site voices.

"Through this research, scientific data on actual manure generation volumes, fuel quality and facility operations will be substantially secured," said Park Jung-min, head of the Environmental Resources Research Department at the National Institute of Environmental Research. "We plan to continuously support the development of policies suited to field conditions by considering both environmental and energy aspects in promoting cattle manure solid fuel conversion."