Development of Sustainable Food Waste Management for Reducing Greenhouse Gases Emissions in Korea

In this study, we analyze the current state of domestic food waste (FW) recycling and propose a management plan for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. First, the composting potential of the GW demonstrates considerable promise. In particular, the GW (phytoplankton, periphyton, macrophyte, etc.) as a third-generation biomass shows strong performance as a functional additive that mitigates the disadvantages associated with composting FW and improves the quality of the final composted product. Alternatively, the final product (e.g., soil ameliorant) can be used to produce bio-filters that are effective pollutant buffers, with high applicability for green infrastructure. The proposed ecological approaches create new opportunities for FW as a resource for the reduction of GHG emissions, and are expected to contribute to the establishment of effective net-zero carbon systems in the future.