Life cycle analysis solid waste

A life cycle assessment (LCA), also known as life cycle analysis, of a product or process begins with an inventory of the energy and environmental flows associated with a product from "cradle to grave" and provides information on the raw materials used from the environment, energy resources consumed, and air, water, and solid waste emissions generated. GHGs and other wastes, sinks, and emissions may then be assessed (Sheehan et ah, 1998). The net GHG emissions calculated from an LCA are usually reported per imit of product or as the carbon footprint. 

A life-cycle analysis, or LCA, is a tool used to evaluate and compare the effects of a product on the environment. As the name implies, this includes everything that happens between the time the product is created until it is disposed of. Of course, this is no small task Typically it involves identifying all relevant materials that go into the production of a product, as well as all of the waste produced during the course of using the product, including things like emissions into the atmosphere, soil, and water, as well as the solid waste produced. Then one needs to evaluate the environmental impact of each of those materials and waste products, hopefully in a manner that allows for the results to readily be compared to those from other products or services. The total of these environmental impacts describes the life-cycle impact of the product. 

The intent was to evaluate different established routes using different technologies of plastics recycling from an environmental point of view using life-cycle analysis (LCA) (Fig. 13.16). Approximately 20 companies participated. This means they were prepared to describe their process in detail and to inform on input of resources such as energy, feedstock, and the like and on output such as airborne and waterborne emissions, solid waste, heavy metals, and other environmentally important products. A secrecy agreement assured the companies protection of any proprietary information. 

Use of life-cycle assessment techniques to analyze material choices, processes, and waste disposal continues to increase. Some countries in Europe require life-cycle analysis before products are introduced. The U.S. EPA and the Department of Energy have jointly sponsored research to develop the tools and information needed for life-cycle analysis-based decisions about solid waste management strategies. The results of this project have already undergone peer review by experts, and are scheduled to be released in 2000. This study includes both economic and environmental aspects, and will have relevance internationally as well as in the United States. ... 

J0rgensen, S. E. 2000. Principles of Pollution Abatement Pollution Abatement for the 21st Century. New York/Amsterdam Elsevier. This is a revised and expanded version of the 1988 Principles of Environmental Science by the same author. Contents include mass conservation, energy conservation, risks and effects, water and wastewater problems, solid waste problems, and air pollution problems. The work features new tools such as ecotech-nology, cleaner technology, life-cycle analysis, and new environmental management techniques by changes in products and production methods. 

Analysis of the solid and liquid process waste streams clearly indicates that the MCC process offers environmental benefits compared with the chemical resolution procedure. To generate data for the cradle-to-grave emissions and impacts, a streamlined life cycle assessment of all of the processes was performed using the Fast Lifecycle Assessment for Synthetic Chemistry, FLASC . 

This report discusses the options for feedstock recycling of plastics waste, including aspects of the environmental and economic pros and cons relating to feedstock recycling in comparison with incineration or mechanical recycling of municipal solid waste, based on a number of life cycle assessments. Particular reference is made to the experience of the TNO-CML Centre of Chain Analysis.485 refs. 

The inventory analysis is a technical process of collecting data, in order to quantify the inputs and outputs of the system. Energy and raw materials consumed, emissions to air, water, soil and solid waste produced by the system are calculated for the entire life cycle of the product or service. To make this analysis easier, the system under study is split into several subsystems and unit processes, and the data obtained are grouped in different categories in a LCI table. 

Life cycle inventory (LCI) is a methodology for estimating the consumption of resources and the quantities of waste flows and emissions caused or otherwise attributable to a product s life cycle [3]. The inventoiy analysis constitutes a detailed compilation of all of the environmental inputs and outputs to each stage of the life cycle [10]. The inventory usually includes raw material and energy consumed, emissions to air and water, and solid waste produced. The processes within the life cycle and the associated material and energy flows as well as other exchanges are modelled to represent the product system and its total inputs and outputs from and to the natural environment, respectively (Fig. 8.2). This results in a product system model and an inventory of environmental exchanges related to the functional unit. 

The life cycle inventory analysis involves data collection and calculation procedures to quantify the total system s inputs and outputs that are relevant from an environmental point of view, i.e., mainly resource use, atmospheric emissions, aqueous emissions, solid waste and land use. 

The life cycle inventory analysis (ii) involves data collection and calculation procedures to quantify the total system s inputs and outputs that are relevant from an environmental point of view, that is, mainly resource use, atmospheric emissions, aqueous emissions, solid waste, and land use. The LCIA (iii) aims at evaluating the significance of potential environmental impacts using the results of the life cycle inventory analysis. The life cycle interpretation (iv) is the final step of the LCA where conclusions are drawn from both the life cycle inventory analysis and the LCIA or, in the case of life cycle inventory studies, from the inventory analysis only. The important LCA requirements are given in Figure 15.5 [150]. 

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