- Research team led by Professor Myung Won Seo from the School of Environmental Engineering demonstrates the effects of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering economic costs

- Research on the value of waste recycling takes the University of Seoul a step closer to becoming a zero-waste campus

The University of Seoul has announced the results of a study that analyzed the composition of waste generated over the course of a year and evaluated the economic value of recycling such materials.

This study was conducted by a research team led by Professor Myung Won Seo of the School of Environmental Engineering at the University of Seoul, in collaboration with the environmental club Bbangbbangi. It was carried out with support from the Seoul Design Foundation’s Seoul Upcycling Plaza as part of the “2023 Resource Circulation Measurement Index Development and Analysis (Reduction Calculator)” project.

The research team analyzed the quantity and characteristics of waste collected on campus, evaluated both material and environmental costs, and published the results under the title “Evaluation of Material and Environmental Price through Material Recycling of Waste Collected at the University of Seoul” in Energy & Environment, an SSCI-indexed journal published by Sage in the United States, on February 5, 2025. 

Professor Seo’s team calculated material costs by comparing the prices of raw materials and recycled materials, estimated the potential greenhouse gas emissions generated during incineration, and multiplied these by the carbon credit price to determine environmental costs. The results showed that if all waste discarded at the University of Seoul over a year were fully recycled into high-value-added materials, it could achieve a greenhouse gas emission reduction effect of up to 2.8 tCO₂eq/t compared to incineration.

▶ Research team of Professor Myung Won Seo, University of Seoul

The University of Seoul generates approximately 250 tons of municipal waste annually, of which about 16% is disposed of in volume-based waste bags. However, with thorough separation, materials such as plastics and paper can be recycled. The research team analyzed the potential cost-saving effects of material recycling based on carbon credit prices and found that the annual savings could reach approximately 80 million KRW (USD 60,000) under Korean standards, 85 million KRW (USD 65,000) under EU standards, and up to 89 million KRW (USD 68,000) based on Korea’s 2030 target carbon credit price. This study highlights that recycling not only conserves natural resources but also contributes to greenhouse gas reduction and economic cost savings. 

▶ Students Se Yeon An, Ye Eun Kim, and Ga Eun Yang from the School of Environmental Engineering, members of the Bbangbbangi club

Tae Hwi An, the first author and a combined master’s and doctoral student at the Waste-to-Energy Laboratory, stated, “This study was meaningful not only for its academic achievements but also for its potential to change perceptions of waste on campus. I would like to thank Mr. Bong Soo Kim from the General Affairs Office for providing data and the members of Bbangbbangi for their active participation.”

Ye Eun Kim, the president of the environmental club Bbangbbangi (Class of 2021, School of Environmental Engineering), said, “Under our professor’s guidance, undergraduate students were able to participate directly in the research and engage in activities to enhance the University of Seoul’s sustainability and ESG index, which was deeply inspiring. I am proud that we were able to make a meaningful contribution not only to environmental protection but also to academic research.”