Sejong, October 5 - On September 26, the Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Wha-jin) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA, Minister Chung Hwang-keun) established a task force to improve the system of livestock waste management. The task force is organized to make a livestock waste management system to keep up with the times and trigger the growth of the related industries. The Ministry of Environment held a kick-off meeting at the livestock waste-to-energy facilities in Cheongyang-gun on September 26. The task force, jointly operated by the ME and MAFRA, is participated by officials of concerned agencies, academia, and other private businesses in the livestock waste-to-energy industry. 

During the kick-off meeting, the task force members visited the livestock waste-to-energy industry to understand the difficulties and the need for institutional improvements. They also discussed operational plans for the task force and ways to improve. The environment ministry shared the study results on improving the Act on the Management and Use of Livestock Excreta and measures to improve systems based on feedback from livestock-related groups, agricultural cooperatives, local governments, ministries, and other concerned agencies. By referring to the standpoints of local governments, related industries, and interested parties, MAFRA proposed measures to improve institutions that can support the development of new industries related to livestock manure and enhance the way to lead to carbon neutrality. MAFRA suggested, at the same time, maintaining or strengthening regulations on environmental pollution and odor management. 

Meanwhile, livestock waste-related businesses, including Chilsung Energy, mentioned difficulties securing the workforce for obtaining permission for manure treatment. Those companies requested the task force to ease livestock waste treatment technicians' standards to expand livestock waste conversion to energy, such as biogas and solid fuels. ME and MAFRA plan to develop improvement measures for livestock waste and ways to regularly operate the task force by the end of this year based on the results of joint research and proposals they receive.

"We will review for system improvements by gathering feedback from professionals and the industry through the task force we have established," said Lee Sang-jin, Director of the ME Water Environment Policy Division. He added, "We will do our best in collaborating with MAFRA to resolve difficulties in the livestock industry and expand livestock waste-to-energy."

Contact: Choi Jin-sung, Deputy Director

Water Environment Policy Division/ +82-(0)44-201-7005

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr