In the future, when discharging brine wastewater generated during the production process of secondary batteries into the sea, toxicity will be measured using marine species instead of freshwater organisms like water fleas. The Ministry of Environment said it plans to review the environmental impact of brine wastewater treatment from secondary batteries more thoroughly while also amending the ambiguities in the legislation to enhance the convenience of corporations.
The Ministry of Environment announced on the 19th that it will implement the 'Water Environment Conservation Act Enforcement Rules' and the 'Sewage Act Enforcement Rules' from the 20th. An amendment to the 'Regulations on Proof of Ecotoxicity Due to Salinity,' which specifies detailed guidelines, will also take effect on the same day.
The salinity regulation system refers to a system that applies marine ecological toxicity standards, such as luminescent bacteria, instead of the ecological toxicity standards for freshwater water fleas when discharging salinity components like sulfates, which are primary components of seawater. The Ministry of Environment noted, 'There were ambiguous parts regarding marine species toxicity tests and the definition of salinity in the salinity regulation system' and 'In response to concerns that there was confusion regarding the application of wastewater from secondary batteries, this has been clearly defined.'
The Ministry of Environment has clearly standardized the marine ecological toxicity testing species, which had been applied differently each time salinity was assessed, to ▲ luminescent bacteria and ▲ copepods. The existing notice did not specify the types and number of experimental species, leading to toxicity tests typically being conducted with only one type of bacteria. The Ministry has decided to add copepods, which are sensitive to the sulfate that is the main component of brine wastewater from secondary batteries.
The Ministry of Environment stated, 'With this amendment, we can more closely consider the impact on marine ecology,' and added, 'At the same time, we expect to shorten the review period by the National Institute of Environmental Research to within 30 days.'
The Ministry of Environment also expanded the eligibility requirements for applying for salinity certification. Previously, companies seeking salinity certification had to receive an improvement order from local governments or environmental agencies for exceeding ecological toxicity discharge standards before they could apply for salinity certification. The latest amendment allows applications for salinity certification even at the pilot operation stage before formal operations begin.
The Ministry of Environment also stipulated that if marine ecological toxicity is detected during inspections by local governments or environmental agencies, salinity certification can be revoked if normalization is not achieved within 30 days.
The Ministry of Environment is making salinity certification procedures easier for corporations and local governments by publishing guides on salinity certification and appropriate inflow standards for public treatment plants for brine wastewater on the Ministry's website. The Ministry also plans to provide technical support to corporations struggling with the treatment of brine wastewater from secondary batteries.
Cho Hee-song, Director of Water Environment Policy at the Ministry of Environment, stated, 'This system overhaul is the result of active communication with environmental experts and corporate representatives to satisfy both environmental impact and corporate feasibility,' and added, 'We will continue to find areas for improvement through technology development and monitoring system establishment, not stopping at system improvements.'