Analysis of the National Air Pollutant Emission Inventory (CAPSS 2016) and the Major Cause of Change in Republic of Korea

In 2016, air pollutant emissions in the Republic of Korea were 795,044 metric tons (hereafter tons) of CO, 1,248,309 tons of NOx, 358,951 tons of SOx, 611,539 tons of TSP, 233,085 tons of PM10, 100,247 tons of PM2.5, 16,401 tons of BC, 1,024,029 tons of VOCs, and 301,301 tons of NH3. Including energy production, thirteen emission sources, which comprise the national air pollutant emission inventory, were classified by their characteristics into five sectors (Energy, Industry, Road, Non-road, and Everyday Activities and Other Emission Sources) to analyze their relative contributions to the national emissions. Specifically, their contributions by pollutant were as follows: NOx (11.0%), SOx (21.9%), PM2.5 (3.2%), VOCs (0.8%), NH3 (0.5%) from the energy sector; NOx (20.2%), SOx (59.7%), PM2.5 (42.1%), VOCs (24.3%), and NH3 (14.4%) from the industry sector; NOx (36.3%), SOx (0.1%), PM2.5 (9.7%), VOCs (4.6%), and NH3 (1.7%) from the road sector; NOx (24.8%), SOx (11.5%), PM2.5 (14.3%), VOCs (4.0%), and NH3 (0.04%) from the non-road sector; and NOx (7.6%), SOx (6.7%), PM2.5 (30.6%), VOCs (66.3%), and NH3 (83.4%) from the everyday activities and other emission sources sector. The data we calculate are used as official national emissions data for the establishment, implementation, and assessment of national atmospheric environment policy to improve air quality. As critical and necessary materials, the data are also utilized on a wide range of studies on policies such as customized regional particulate matter reduction measures. Thus, it is crucial to estimate highly reliable national emissions by enhancing the emissions factors and inventory and to establish a scientific emissions testing system by using air quality modeling and satellite data.