Life-cycle analysis recycling, sustainability

ICI Acrylics believes that greater cooperation between companies and a revised approach to life cycle analysis are the keys to the industry s future environmental sustainability. The company has invested over 2m pounds sterling in an on-going monomer recovery project, which encompasses a joint research programme with Mitsubishi Rayon. The project focuses on increasing the efficiency of acrylic depolymerisation and overcoming technical issues such as its use in recycling flame retardant acrylics. ICI ACRYLICS... 

Manufacturing processes for sustainability can be optimized in the context of life cycle analysis (Shoimard and Hiew 2000). It involves definition of the process boundaries and quantifiable sustainability impacts in the form of established metrics, incorporated into process design and optimization. It has been applied to determining waste treatment options, abatement of pollution, and designing the optimal recipe of solvents. Impact indices, such as ozone depletion potential to human toxicity and eco-toxicity, developed by the EPA, can be used. This method has been applied in a methyl ethyl ketone production plant to determine the effect of recycling on the enviromnent (Shonnard and Hiew 2000). 

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