Industrial facilities are characterized by the significant usage of natural resources and the massive discharge of waste materials. An effective strategy towards the sustainability of industrial processes is the conservation of natural resources through waste reclamation and recycles. Because of the numerous number of design alternatives, systematic procedures must be developed for the effective synthesis and screening of reclamation and recycle options. The objective of this work is to develop systematic and generally applicable procedures for the synthesis, design, and optimization of resource conservation networks. Focus is given to two important applications: material utilities (with water as an example) and spent products (with lube oil as an example). Traditionally, most of the previous research efforts in the area of designing direct-recycle water networks have considered the chemical composition as the basis for process constraints. However, there are many design problems that are not component-based; instead, they are property-based (e.g., pH, density, viscosity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), basic oxygen demand (BOD), toxicity). Additionally, thermal constraints (e.g., stream temperature) may be required to identify acceptable recycles. In this work, a novel approach is introduced to design material-utility (e.g., water) recycle networks that allows the simultaneous consideration of mass, thermal, and property constraints. Furthermore, the devised approach accounts for the heat of mixing and for the interdependence of properties. An optimization formulation is developed to embed all potential configurations of interest and to model the mass, thermal, and property characteristics of the targeted streams and units. Solution strategies are developed to identify stream allocation and targets for minimum fresh usage and waste discharge. A case study on water management is solved to illustrate the concept of the proposed approach and its computational aspects. Next, a systematic approach is developed for the selection of solvents, solvent blends, and system design in in extraction-based reclamation processes of spent lube oil Property-integration tools are employed for the systematic screening of solvents and solvent blends. The proposed approach identifies the main physical properties that influence solvent(s) performance in extracting additives and contaminants from used lubricating oils (i.e. solubility parameter (delta), viscosity (v), and vapor pressure (p)). The results of the theoretical approach are validated through comparison with experimental data for single solvents and for solvent blends. Next, an optimization formulation is developed and solved to identify system design and extraction solvent(s) by including techno-economic criteria. Two case studies are solved for identification of feasible blends and for the cost optimization of the system.

The overall goal of the research was to develop the next generation, generic construction of broadloom carpet that will compete on both a performance and cost basis with the current construction while avoiding the major recycling disadvantages of the latter. The new construction was designed to maintain nearly all of the current carpet formation processes to minimize capital investment in converting existing manufacturing lines. A major industry constriction was that the new construction must at least meet the current construction's physical performance on the floor and overall cost characteristics.

It pays much attention on environmental protection in the twenty-first century. However, in Taiwan, the recycling rate of dry batteries is still under 20% which is much less than that in American and EU. This study combined consumer behavior, environmental behavior and the related reference into the research model to find the factors affecting the buying and recycling of dry batteries. So two behaviors were predicted in the model. This study took 192 Kaohsiung citizens as respondents. After filtering out some unsuitable respondents, keep 179 samples to analysis. There are six variables in the buying model, such as price, self-efficacy, environmental concern, response efficacy, environmental responsibility, and habit. By using the method of hierarchical regression, results showed that price and environmental concern can significantly predict the buying intention (£]s > .25, ps < .001). Then put into other variables, habit can also affect the buying intention (£]¡×.28, p < .001). Besides it can increase the power of explanation from 31% to 37%. As for the recycling model, past habit is dependent variable and price, self-efficacy, environmental concern, environmental knowledge and age are independent variables. Results showed that self-efficacy and age can more significantly (£]s >.27, ps <.001) affect past habit than environmental knowledge (£]¡×.14, p < .05). and the R-square is 23%.

In the era of lacking raw materials, the energy and resources are getting precious; these factors raise our concern on environmental protection issues and take good care of the only earth. Resource recycling has been built in our daily life, as a result. Upon government¡¦s initiatives and policies, what private sectors can play to maximize the impact? We believe the structure of ¡§recycling channel¡¨ is the most effective operational model with speed. And it will retrieve the valuable resources from consumers, eventually distribute to related industries for recycling. This study targets on Taiwan first island-wide resource recycling channel firm¡¦s innovative business model, and his competition strategy to extend his coverage in mainland China. We analysis and compare the business model and core competence between two firms with different background and industry¡¦s characters Our target firm has been in the business for 8 years, however it still lacks of experience or cases that is similar to our assumption. Our methodology is to interview with experts, review theories, study target firm¡¦s management system, and correlate with my own experience in this industry. We adopt SWOT, Porter¡¦s Five-Force Analysis, Strategy Matrix, and strategy structure to be the framework for this research. We try to propose a solution to target firm for the possible business strategy adjustment, and study the feasibility of copying Taiwan experience onto China. After SWOT analysis, the case company has the competitive advantage of ¡§management system, IT solution, and quality talents¡¨. In order to enlarge the business scale, business strategy should be shifted from ¡§market penetration¡¨ to ¡§diversification¡¨ gradually. To allocate organizational resources align with weighted growth strategy, and utilize current products and services to serve new markets. In the future, the company can move onto the strategies of ¡§sales development and training, seeking alliance inside or outside recycling industry, creative and customized service model, and market segmentations¡¨. To sum up, the case company should choose ¡§differentiation strategy¡¨, and to be recognized and supported by customers. This is the way to avoid price war and secure the profits. Without protection by government resources and policies, Taiwan experience can¡¦t be transplanted to China, due to the nature of different political situation and culture gap.

The main focus of the project is to tell the story of waste - to improve awareness and to help people grasp the colossal problem of landfill space running out! Currently, only 5% of the 3 million tons of waste, produced by Tshwane per year, is being recycled at landfill sites and yet 80% of the waste is recyclable! (Dekker, F. 2012) Where will we go with all of our waste when there’s no space left for landfill sites? What would happen if landfill sites start to take over our parks and green open spaces?! We need to start thinking green and recycle in order to prevent this from happening. The idea behind the design is to change the visitors’ perception of waste by allowing the visitors to go through a process of discovery in order to experience and become aware of the problem and value of waste in a fun and exciting way. The project is multifaceted with a variety of activities and spaces that contribute to the story of waste being told - educating the visitors about the endless possibilities of recycled waste and how they can make a difference by recycling and using waste as a resource. / Mini Disserration (ML(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Architecture / unrestricted

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<div>There is an ever-increasing concern regarding electronic waste (e-waste), which is the fastest growing waste stream in the world. E-waste contains highly toxic materials such as halogenated flame retardants and heavy metals, as well as precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. Its proper management and disposition are paramount. Incentivized by various legislations and the intrinsic value of critical metals inside, recycling of e-waste is becoming an attractive business opportunity that also benefits the environment. A novel electrochemical recovery (ER) process has been developed as a promising alternative to the existing pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes-based technologies to recover base metals, precious metals, and rare earth elements (REEs) from e-waste. Experimental results indicate that the ER process has lower chemical consumption, enhanced control, and reduced energy demand compared to the pyrometallurgical and the hydrometallurgical processes. To quantify and compare the environmental performances of the three technologies, life cycle analysis has been conducted. The baseline comparison used $1000 revenue from the e-waste recovery as a functional unit. Results show that the ER process outperforms the other two processes in almost all impact categories adopted in TRACI and ILCD while there is no clear winner between the hydrometallurgical and the pyrometallurgical processes. The life cycle analysis helped identify the significant inputs for different processes. The highest impactful input for the ER method is hydrochloric acid, and for the pyrometallurgical method is copper scrap, while for the hydrometallurgical method, it is hydrogen peroxide, an oxidizer that accelerates base metal extraction process that dominates the overall environmental footprint. Other than the baseline case, the environmental impacts of recovering REE from e-waste with different processes and from other method were studied. The results indicate REE recovered from e-waste has a lower environmental footprint than virgin extraction. Overall, the ER process has the lowest impacts on the environmental side among the three e-waste treatment processes. The environmental viability of the ER process warrants the further development of the ER process at industrial scale. <br></div><div><br></div>

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The City of Saskatoon (COS) manages diverse road infrastructure assets. Given the present day challenges of structurally upgrading in-service road infrastructure assets in diverse field state conditions, there is a need to incorporate new innovative materials, changing field state conditions, and mechanistic design methods in sustainable road rehabilitation decision making. The COS is faced with challenges including rising material and labour costs, budget shortfalls, depleting virgin aggregate sources in close proximity to the COS, and an increase in stockpiled asphalt and concrete rubble materials due to transportation infrastructure renewal. As a result of the COS impact crushing program, a need to determine the design and performance properties of using recycled reclaimed asphalt concrete (RAP) rubble materials in urban pavement structures was established. RAP materials had never been used as a structural base layer in COS pavement structures because no material characterization had been conducted and there was no performance information with regards to their structural behaviour and field performance available. Other jurisdictions documented benefits of using recycled RAP in road structure include: reduced demand on depleting aggregate sources; reduced energy consumption; diversion of stockpiled RAP materials from landfills; and reduced overall handling and disposal costs. Given the amount of crushed RAP material available to the COS, it was determined there are potential benefits to implementing the use of recycled crushed RAP rubble in pavement structures, leading to the implementation of the “Green Street” Infrastructure Program. The findings of this research indicate that RAP materials have improved mechanistic properties compared to conventional granular materials; therefore, RAP materials can be used as a base layer in a road structure. This research indicates that cement stabilization and cement with a slow setting (SS-1) emulsion stabilization improved the moisture susceptibility of well graded (GW) and open graded base course (OGBC) RAP materials. These findings demonstrated that RAP materials stabilized with cement and/or SS-1 emulsion can be used as a base layer in a pavement structure. This research also found that the standard Proctor compaction method is not applicable for RAP materials to quantify moisture-density behaviour under compaction, due to the bound-nature of RAP aggregates, which are composed of asphalt and aggregate. California bearing ratio (CBR) values of Proctor-compacted RAP specimens did not accurately reflect field performance observations. As part of the COS “Green Street” Infrastructure Program, two test sections using crushed GW RAP rubble materials as a base layer were constructed as part of this research and include Marquis Drive (eastbound lanes from Thatcher Avenue to Idylwyld Drive) and 8th Street East (westbound lanes from Boychuk Drive west 0.540 kilometers). Test sections were constructed by the City of Saskatoon with conventional construction equipment and showed structural improvement in structural performance and visual distresses. Using RAP materials as a base layer was economically feasible because the RAP material cost less than conventional virgin aggregate base materials. This research demonstrates that processed and crushed RAP rubble materials are technically feasible to be used as a structural base layer in a recycled pavement structural system for urban road rehabilitation systems, and provide economic benefits over conventional granular base materials.