The institute of Clean Technology at Yeungnam University was founded on March 23, 2000 and consists of 2 research centers, such as wastewater Treatment Information Research Center and Electron Beam Acceleration Center, and 6 departments, such as Clean Production Process Department, Clean Materials and Products Department, Materials Recycle Department, Clean Energy Department, Industrial Ecology Department and Clean Environment Department. 36 full-time professors, 1 researchers and 2 assistants are currently working for the Institute that is now one of the best research institutes in Yeungnam University. The major purpose is to perform research on variety of clean technology and to circulate the clean technology-related information for the regional industry.
The preventive action that can eliminate or minimize the wastes has been proven to be better than the curative action that treats the wastes that are already produced. The latter has raised the production costs and is difficult to meet the harsh environmental regulations, while the former is the clean technology for pollution-free production that can ensure the sustainable industrial development. Professors from engineering, natural science, pharmacy, and agriculture are working to perform the research on and to circulate the environmentally-friendly clean technology. The regional manufacturing industry such as textile, electronics, automobile parts and steel industries have been producing a lot of wastewater and pollutants. Therefore, clean technology and educating the workers is essential in this region.
The Institute has been working on the following programs to achieve the goals.
- Research and developments of clean technology
- Transfer of the clean technology to the industry
- Education of the clean technology engineers by the affiliated special research centers
- Domestic and international symposiums and seminars on clean technology
- Exchange of clean technology with domestic and foreign clean technology specialists
- Training of the regional workers to propagate the clean technology