A Case Study on the Eco-Efficiency Performance of a Composite Processing Industry: Evaluation and Quantification of Potential Improvements
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-5995.2013.02.01.9Keywords:
Pultrusion manufacturing company, Energy savings, Industrial wastes recycling, Eco-efficiency performance, Sustainability.Abstract
In this study, an attempt was made in order to measure and evaluate the eco-efficiency performance of a pultruded composite processing company. For this purpose the recommendations of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WCSD) and the directives of ISO 14301 standard were followed and applied. The main general indicators of eco-efficiency, as well as the specific indicators, were defined and determined. With basis on indicators’ figures, the value profile, the environmental profile, and the pertinent eco-efficiency ratios were established and analyzed.
In order to evaluate potential improvements on company eco-performance, new indicators values and eco-efficiency ratios were estimated taking into account the implementation of new proceedings and procedures, at both upstream and downstream of the production process, namely:
- i) Adoption of a new heating system for pultrusion die-tool in the manufacturing process, more effective and with minor heat losses;
- ii) Recycling approach, with partial waste reuse of scrap material derived from manufacturing, cutting and assembly processes of GFRP profiles.
These features lead to significant improvements on the sequent assessed eco-efficiency ratios of the present case study, yielding to a more sustainable product and manufacturing process of pultruded GFRP profiles.
References
Schaltegger S, Sturm A. Okologie-induzierte entscheidungsprobleme des managements. Ansatzpunkte zur augestaltung von instrumenten (Ecology induced management decision support. Starting points for instrument formation). WWZ-Dissertation paper nº 8914, University of Basel, Switzerland 1989.
Schmidheiny S. Changing Course - A Global Business Perspective on Development and the Environment, BCSD-Business Council for Sustainable Development. London: The MIT Press 1992.
Lehni M. Eco-Efficiency: Creating more value with less impact. WBCSD Report, World Business Council for Sustainable Development 2000.
ISO 14031:1999. Environmental Management – Environmental Performance Evaluation – Guidelines. ISO Standard, International Organization for Standardization 1999.
Franco A, Romoli L. Characterization of laser energy consumption in sintering of polymer based powders. J Mater Process Tech 2012; 212: 917-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2011.12.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2011.12.003
Pusavec F, Krajnik P, Kopac J. Transitioning to sustainable production – Part I: Application on machining technologies. J Clean Prod 2010; 18: 174-84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.08.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.08.010
Silva FJG, Ferreira F, Costa C, Ribeiro MCS, Castro ACM. Comparative study about heating systems for pultrusion process. Compos Part B-Eng 2012; 43: 1823-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2012.01.057 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2012.01.057
Pickering SJ. Recycling technologies for thermoset composite materials – current status. Compos Part A-Appl S 2006; 37: 1206-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.05.030 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2005.05.030
Asokan P, Osmani M, Price ADF. Assessing the recycling potential of glass fibre reinforced plastic waste in concrete and cement composites. J Clean Prod 2009; 17: 821-9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.12.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2008.12.004
Asokan P, Osmani M, Price ADF. Improvement of the mechanical properties of glass fibre reinforced plastic waste powder filled concrete. Const. Build Mater 2010; 24: 448-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2009.10.017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2009.10.017
Tittarelli F, Moriconi G. Use of GRP industrial by-products in cement based composites. Cement Concrete Comp 2010; 32: 219-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2009.11.005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2009.11.005
Correia JR, Almeida NM, Figueira JR. Recycling of FRP composites: Reusing fine GFRP in concrete mixtures. J Clean Prod 2011; 19: 1745-53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.05.018 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.05.018
Osmani M, Pappu A. An assessment of the compressive strength of glass reinforced plastic waste filled concrete for potential applications in construction. Concrete Res Lett 2010; 1: 1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118097298.weoc008
Ogi K, Shinoda T, Mizui M. Strength in concrete reinforced with recycled CFRP pieces. Compos Part A-App S 2005; 36: 893-902. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2004.12.009 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2004.12.009
Ribeiro MCS, Fiúza A, Castro ACM, et al. Recycling of Pultrusion Production Waste into Innovative Concrete-Polymer Composite Solutions. Adv Mater Res 2011; 295-7: 561-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.295-297.561
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2013 Journal of Research Updates in Polymer Science
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Policy for Journals/Articles with Open Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work
Policy for Journals / Manuscript with Paid Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Publisher retain copyright .
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post links to their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work .