Comparative Analysis of Best Available Techniques Reference Documents on the Pulp, Paper, and Board Industry in Korea and the European Union with Respect to Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Management

Abstract : To address the limitations of media-specific environmental management, Korea introduced the integrated Environmental Management System in 2017, with the pulp and paper industry designated in 2020 and integrated permitting process was completed in 2024. With the strengthening of global environmental regulations, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, the importance of greenhouse gas mitigation has increased; however, the dual regulatory structure that separately manages pollutants and greenhouse gases imposes burdens on industrial facilities. This study conducts a comparative analysis of best available techniques reference documents (BREFs) from Korea and the European Union (EU) to propose improvement directions tailored to the Korean pulp and paper industry. The analysis focuses on process classification systems, energy management approaches, BAT, and BAT-associated emission levels (BAT-AELs). The results show that the EU adopts a process-based structure and manages energy by distinguishing between thermal and electrical energy, whereas the Korean BREF employs a product-oriented integrated approach, limiting process-specific energy management. In addition, energy and greenhouse gas indicators are excluded from the current regulatory scope, resulting in a lack of quantitative performance levels for related BAT. To respond to carbon neutrality goals and global regulatory trends, it is necessary to expand the management scope to include energy and greenhouse gas indicators and to establish BAT for greenhouse gas mitigation.