Disassembly and recycling of E-waste creates a series of environmental problems. The selection of a technologically reliable, environmentally friendly, economically affordable and socially acceptable recycling technol...Disassembly and recycling of E-waste creates a series of environmental problems. The selection of a technologically reliable, environmentally friendly, economically affordable and socially acceptable recycling technology for E-waste is a significant question. This study establishes a Monte-Carlo mathematical model of cost minimization, given the constraints of environmentally sound handling of the e-waste, in the context of Crystal Ball risk assessment and evaluation software. By following the streams of the different treatment processes, which consist of various technologies including disassembly, recycling and disposal, the econom-ics of various possibilities were identified and the optimal recycling technology proposed. The key factors of the proposed scenarios were determined by using sensitivity analysis. The results of this study show that, for discarded refrigerators, the operating life span plays the key role. The model supports maintenance and resale of the short lived refrigerators. For the longer lived refrigerators material recycling is recommended by the model. Sensitivity analysis shows that purchase cost, plastic sale price, condenser sale price and disassembly costs are the main effects. This study provides a significant technical support for policy making in E-waste management.展开更多
Input-output analysis is widely employed to analyze inventories of a product's embodied energy and environmental burdens. However, input-output analysis focuses only on the production stage and ignores other life cyc...Input-output analysis is widely employed to analyze inventories of a product's embodied energy and environmental burdens. However, input-output analysis focuses only on the production stage and ignores other life cycle phases. Input-output analysis is not exactly a LCA (life cycle assessment) method in the strict sense of ISO 14040 standards, which must cover all stages of a product's life cycle, "from the cradle to the grave", so to speak. A tiered hybrid LCA is a useful tool that covers all life cycle stages by combining a process analysis with the input-output analysis method. This study aims to extend input-output analysis to the use, disposal, and recycling stages by using matrix-based method. The new method is applied to the analysis of the embodied CO2 emissions of a refrigerator as a case study. The entire life cycle C02 emissions are estimated to be 2.9 tons, including indirect emissions, and the reduction in CO2 emissions due to recycling steel scrap is calculated as 48.5 kg. The authors conclude that the new method enables a consistent inventory analysis for all life cycle stages by combining process and input-output methods.展开更多
基金Projects 50574094 supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaCPEUKF06-11 by the Key Laboratory Open Project of Education Ministry of China200600242 by the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Xuzhou
文摘Disassembly and recycling of E-waste creates a series of environmental problems. The selection of a technologically reliable, environmentally friendly, economically affordable and socially acceptable recycling technology for E-waste is a significant question. This study establishes a Monte-Carlo mathematical model of cost minimization, given the constraints of environmentally sound handling of the e-waste, in the context of Crystal Ball risk assessment and evaluation software. By following the streams of the different treatment processes, which consist of various technologies including disassembly, recycling and disposal, the econom-ics of various possibilities were identified and the optimal recycling technology proposed. The key factors of the proposed scenarios were determined by using sensitivity analysis. The results of this study show that, for discarded refrigerators, the operating life span plays the key role. The model supports maintenance and resale of the short lived refrigerators. For the longer lived refrigerators material recycling is recommended by the model. Sensitivity analysis shows that purchase cost, plastic sale price, condenser sale price and disassembly costs are the main effects. This study provides a significant technical support for policy making in E-waste management.
文摘Input-output analysis is widely employed to analyze inventories of a product's embodied energy and environmental burdens. However, input-output analysis focuses only on the production stage and ignores other life cycle phases. Input-output analysis is not exactly a LCA (life cycle assessment) method in the strict sense of ISO 14040 standards, which must cover all stages of a product's life cycle, "from the cradle to the grave", so to speak. A tiered hybrid LCA is a useful tool that covers all life cycle stages by combining a process analysis with the input-output analysis method. This study aims to extend input-output analysis to the use, disposal, and recycling stages by using matrix-based method. The new method is applied to the analysis of the embodied CO2 emissions of a refrigerator as a case study. The entire life cycle C02 emissions are estimated to be 2.9 tons, including indirect emissions, and the reduction in CO2 emissions due to recycling steel scrap is calculated as 48.5 kg. The authors conclude that the new method enables a consistent inventory analysis for all life cycle stages by combining process and input-output methods.