Subsystem Hazard Analysis on an Offshore Waste Disposal Facility

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Marine Infrastructure Risk Assessment
• Waste Management Engineering

Background:

• Offshore waste disposal facilities are specialized marine infrastructures with limited global implementation.
• Existing facilities in Japan and Singapore operate successfully, but their environmental impact remains uninvestigated.
• A new offshore waste disposal facility is proposed for Korea, necessitating a thorough hazard evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and analyze potential environmental hazards associated with a proposed Korean offshore waste disposal facility.
• To develop and assess countermeasures for mitigating identified environmental risks.
• To determine the overall acceptability of the facility's potential risks.

Main Methods:

• Hazard identification and analysis based on design, construction, maintenance, and operation subsystems.
• Subsystem hazard analysis was conducted, excluding site utilization.
• Risk assessment involved initial evaluation followed by the application of alternative mitigation methods.

Main Results:

• Initial assessment identified 7 extreme-risk, 30 high-risk, and 6 moderate-risk elements.
• Post-mitigation, the risk assessment revealed 27 moderate-risk and 16 low-risk elements.
• The application of mitigation methods significantly reduced the overall risk profile.

Conclusions:

• The comprehensive hazard analysis and mitigation process confirmed that potential risks are within acceptable ranges.
• The proposed offshore waste disposal facility can be implemented with managed environmental risks.
• This study provides a framework for evaluating and managing environmental risks of similar marine infrastructures.