| Title |
A Study on End-of-Life Management Gaps and Directions for Establishing Management Standards for Phenolic Foam Insulation |
| Authors |
강찬혁(Kang, Chan-Hyeok) ; 최창호(Choi, Chang-Ho) ; 김병민(Kim, ByungMin) ; 권영철(Kwon, Young-Cheol) ; 정보경(Jung, BoKyung) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK.2026.42.6.263 |
| Keywords |
Phenolic foam; Thermoset insulation; Construction and demolition waste; Waste management; Stabilization; Circular economy |
| Abstract |
This study analyzes end-of-life management gaps associated with phenolic foam insulation, a thermoset-based building insulation material, and
proposes directions for developing management standards in Korea. Although phenolic foam is increasingly adopted due to its low thermal
conductivity and favorable fire performance, its thermoset structure prevents melt-based recycling, and its acidic characteristics raise concerns
regarding environmental impacts when disposed of without pretreatment. Through a document-based comparative analysis of construction and
demolition waste management systems in the EU, Germany, and Japan, this study identifies structural regulatory gaps in Korea’s current
framework. In particular, Korea broadly classifies insulation as synthetic resin waste without distinguishing thermoplastic and thermoset
materials with fundamentally different disposal pathways, and lacks institutional mechanisms for material identification and source separation at
the demolition stage. To address these gaps, this study proposes (1) the establishment of a dedicated classification code for thermoset
insulation, (2) mandatory material identification through pre-demolition audits, (3) strengthened source separation requirements, and (4) the
introduction of stabilization standards prior to controlled landfill disposal, supported by a phased implementation roadmap. This research
contributes a management-system oriented framework for anticipatory policy development before large-scale phenolic foam waste generation
occurs. |