A Decision-support System for Recycling of Residents’ Waste Plastics in China Based on Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
MANZHI LIU ◽  
Jixin Wen ◽  
Linlin Zhang ◽  
Jixin Wu ◽  
Xiaotao Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Emission Reduction ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Waste Plastics ◽  
Plastics Recycling ◽  
Waste Plastics Recycling

Abstract Recycling waste plastics is one of the important ways to save petroleum resources and reduce carbon emissions. However, the current recycling rate of waste plastics is still low. Material flow analysis can help determine the flow of waste plastics, and life cycle assessment (LCA) can be used to quantify environmental impacts. The present study integrates these two methods into the model construction of the residents’ waste plastics recycling decision-support system. This model construction is followed by sensitivity analysis of the relevant parameters affecting the performance of the waste plastics recycling system. Finally, present study forecasts the recycling system’s performance and environmental impacts by setting four optimization scenarios based on sensitivity analysis. The results show that in 2019, A total of 8.39 million tons of high-end applications were recovered, carbon emissions during the recycling process were 34.9 million tons, and dioxin emissions were 316.11 g TEQ, with a total emission reduction of 24.47 million tons of CO2 compared to the original production. In the scenario of comprehensive improvement, in 2035, the recycling volume of high-end applications will rise to 33.96 million tons, the carbon emissions will rise to 64.73 million tons, the dioxin emissions will drop to 165.98 g TEQ, and the carbon emission reduction will rise to 99.06 million tons. This research has a certain guiding role for policy makers to formulate industry norms and related policies for waste plastic recycling.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Assessment and Material Flow Analysis: Two Under-Utilized Tools for Informing E-Waste Management

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7939
Author(s):  
Sohani Vihanga Withanage ◽  
Komal Habib
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Civil Society Organizations ◽  
The Past ◽  
Depth Analysis

The unprecedented technological development and economic growth over the past two decades has resulted in streams of rapidly growing electronic waste (e-waste) around the world. As the potential source of secondary raw materials including precious and critical materials, e-waste has recently gained significant attention across the board, ranging from governments and industry, to academia and civil society organizations. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the last decade of e-waste literature followed by an in-depth analysis of the application of material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessment (LCA), i.e., two less commonly used strategic tools to guide the relevant stakeholders in efficient management of e-waste. Through a keyword search on two main online search databases, Scopus and Web of Science, 1835 peer-reviewed publications were selected and subjected to a bibliographic network analysis to identify and visualize major research themes across the selected literature. The selected 1835 studies were classified into ten different categories based on research area, such as environmental and human health impacts, recycling and recovery technologies, associated social aspects, etc. With this selected literature in mind, the review process revealed the two least explored research areas over the past decade: MFA and LCA with 33 and 31 studies, respectively. A further in-depth analysis was conducted for these two areas regarding their application to various systems with numerous scopes and different stages of e-waste life cycle. The study provides a detailed discussion regarding their applicability, and highlights challenges and opportunities for further research.

scholarly journals 3 Tackling Demolition Waste – An en route to Sustainable Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Nadia Qamar ◽  
Ayesha Alam Khurram
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
Water Tank ◽  
Demolition Waste

In Pakistan, construction and demolition waste(CDW) is generated in voluminous amount each year. CDW iswidely ill-handled and ultimately fed to landfills causing harm tothe already alarming environmental conditions. In order tosearch for the solution of this drastic matter, a study was done,which is explained in this paper. This paper presents the studydone at a demolition site near Karachi, in Sindh while thedemolition works were being carried out. At the site there wereold barracks which were being demolished. Before the demolitionworks were commenced, the site was surveyed and structuralcomponents of the barracks were counted and their dimensionswere measured. When the demolition was over, the demolishedwaste was calculated which comprised of concrete and masonryrubble, steel round bars, steel doors, steel windows, steel ceiling,steel girders, steel main gate, and plastic water tank. This studyinterpreted that construction and demolition (C&D) works wereprogressing considering the works’ deadline and the clients’requirements but the ecosystem’s ecology and the environmentalhealth were not taken into account. Recommendations are madeto handle CDW properly throughout its lifecycle. Theserecommendations aim to provide technological and logicalsolutions to grip CDW. The recommendations include wastereduction and reusing waste, life cycle assessment and costing,environmental and economic impact, material flow analysis, andadvanced computerized-tools.

scholarly journals Material flow analysis and life cycle assessment of solid waste management in urban green areas, Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Indika Thushari ◽  
Juckrit Vicheanteab ◽  
Dao Janjaroen
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Material Flow ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Material Flow Analysis ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Urban Green

Abstract This study presents solid waste management planning in an urban green area, Bangkok, Thailand based on the material flow analysis (MFA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). Global warming potential (GWP) of four scenarios for handling solid waste generated in Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park, 2018 was assessed concerning the different ratios of waste recycling, composting, incineration, and landfilling. The results show that alternative systems proposed will result in lower GWP than the existing waste management strategy. The MFA results reveal that the final weights of solid waste ending up in a landfill are 98.8, 101.9, 68.2, and 44.8 t yr− 1 for scenarios 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Increased rates of landfill diversion by increased recycling, composting, and incineration decreased the quantity of solid waste disposed to the landfill and improved the environmental profile of the park waste management system. The LCA results found landfilling to be the dominant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) burdens, while waste recycling was found to result in the reduction of GHG. The results highlight that the use of MFA and LCA as a combined tool to evaluate the environmental performance of solid waste management systems provides valuable information for policy and decision-makers.

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