Innovative and sustainable strategies of urban mining

openLa gestione di un’enorme quantità di rifiuti da apparecchiature elettriche ed elettroniche (RAEE), rappresenta un problema rilevante per la nostra società, poichè rischi per l’ambiente e la salute umana, legati ad una scorretta gestione, sono combinati con la perdita di materiali valorizzabili. Questo lavoro ha per oggetto lo sviluppo di processi sostenibili per il recupero di metalli di valore dai RAEE: in particolare, è stata effettuata un’indagine in laboratorio mirata all’estrazione, da schermi a cristalli liquidi, di indio, un metallo recentemente classificato dalla Commissione Europea tra i “critical raw materials”. La sperimentazione ha permesso l’ottimizzazione di un processo con rese di recupero di indio superiori al 90%, basato su operazioni idrometallurgiche. E’ stato studiato inoltre il processo dal punto di vista della sua sostenibilità ambientale, confrontandone l’impatto con quello degli attuali sistemi di gestione degli schermi a cristalli liquidi . La valutazione ha evidenziato che il ciclo di gestione delle acque di processo e pre-trattamenti fisici del pannello finalizzati alla concentrazione del metallo, rappresentano dei fattori chiave per la sostenibilità ambientale del processo. Il lavoro è stato svolto nel contesto di un progetto finanziato dalla Commissione Europea nell’ambito del 7FP, denominato HydroWEEE. Tale progetto aveva per obiettivo la realizzazione di un impianto mobile, con caratteristiche flessibili per il recupero di metalli da diversi RAEE: indio da TV/monitor a cristalli liquidi, ittrio da lampade e tubi catodici, rame oro e argento da circuiti stampati, cobalto da batterie litio-ione. L’attività di ricerca è stata anche finalizzata a valutare la sostenibilità ambientale dei vari processi realizzati nell’impianto mobile, evidenziandone un generale vantaggio (tra il 20 e l’80%) rispetto alla produzione primaria dei metalli. La valutazione dei rischi per i lavoratori nell’impianto mobile conclude lo studio.The management of a huge quantity of waste from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) represents a critical issue for the modern society. The negative environmental and health effects due to the improperly management are combined with the loss of valuable materials. The present work focused on the recovery of metals from WEEE with particular attention to indium from end-of-life liquid crystal displays (LCD). The experimental section allowed the optimization of a process that includes an acid leaching characterized by an innovative cross-current design, followed by a cementation with zinc powder. Considering the satisfying efficiencies obtained on the lab scale, higher than 90%, the whole process was studied from an environmental point of view comparing its emissions with those produced by the current management strategies (disposal in landfilling sites, incineration and traditional recycling). A life cycle assessment (LCA) of the different scenarios proved the significant advantage of recycling ways. Moreover, the traditional recycling resulted to be the most favorable, due for both the relevant water consumption of the innovative treatment and to the low indium content in the LCD. Nevertheless, a simple water recirculation system, combined with a physical indium upgrading in the waste, make the innovative option the best choice. The simple design of the optimized process allows its implementation in a mobile plant, built within the European project, HydroWEEE. The plant mobility prevents the impacts due to the waste transport, that contributes to the 30-40% of the currently treatments. Furthermore, this advantage is combined with the possibility to treat several WEEE for the recovery of different metals. The sustainability of this approach was proved by a LCA that highlighted the positive effect also in the comparison with the primary production, with a benefit between 20 and 80%. Last, but not least, the risk for workers in the real mobile plant was assessed.SCIENZE DELLA VITA E DELL'AMBIENTEAmato, AlessiaAmato, Alessi

Innovative and sustainable strategies of urban mining

La gestione di un’enorme quantità di rifiuti da apparecchiature elettriche ed elettroniche (RAEE), rappresenta un problema rilevante per la nostra società, poichè rischi per l’ambiente e la salute umana, legati ad una scorretta gestione, sono combinati con la perdita di materiali valorizzabili. Questo lavoro ha per oggetto lo sviluppo di processi sostenibili per il recupero di metalli di valore dai RAEE: in particolare, è stata effettuata un’indagine in laboratorio mirata all’estrazione, da schermi a cristalli liquidi, di indio, un metallo recentemente classificato dalla Commissione Europea tra i “critical raw materials”. La sperimentazione ha permesso l’ottimizzazione di un processo con rese di recupero di indio superiori al 90%, basato su operazioni idrometallurgiche. E’ stato studiato inoltre il processo dal punto di vista della sua sostenibilità ambientale, confrontandone l’impatto con quello degli attuali sistemi di gestione degli schermi a cristalli liquidi . La valutazione ha evidenziato che il ciclo di gestione delle acque di processo e pre-trattamenti fisici del pannello finalizzati alla concentrazione del metallo, rappresentano dei fattori chiave per la sostenibilità ambientale del processo. Il lavoro è stato svolto nel contesto di un progetto finanziato dalla Commissione Europea nell’ambito del 7FP, denominato HydroWEEE. Tale progetto aveva per obiettivo la realizzazione di un impianto mobile, con caratteristiche flessibili per il recupero di metalli da diversi RAEE: indio da TV/monitor a cristalli liquidi, ittrio da lampade e tubi catodici, rame oro e argento da circuiti stampati, cobalto da batterie litio-ione. L’attività di ricerca è stata anche finalizzata a valutare la sostenibilità ambientale dei vari processi realizzati nell’impianto mobile, evidenziandone un generale vantaggio (tra il 20 e l’80%) rispetto alla produzione primaria dei metalli. La valutazione dei rischi per i lavoratori nell’impianto mobile conclude lo studio.The management of a huge quantity of waste from electric and electronic equipment (WEEE) represents a critical issue for the modern society. The negative environmental and health effects due to the improperly management are combined with the loss of valuable materials. The present work focused on the recovery of metals from WEEE with particular attention to indium from end-of-life liquid crystal displays (LCD). The experimental section allowed the optimization of a process that includes an acid leaching characterized by an innovative cross-current design, followed by a cementation with zinc powder. Considering the satisfying efficiencies obtained on the lab scale, higher than 90%, the whole process was studied from an environmental point of view comparing its emissions with those produced by the current management strategies (disposal in landfilling sites, incineration and traditional recycling). A life cycle assessment (LCA) of the different scenarios proved the significant advantage of recycling ways. Moreover, the traditional recycling resulted to be the most favorable, due for both the relevant water consumption of the innovative treatment and to the low indium content in the LCD. Nevertheless, a simple water recirculation system, combined with a physical indium upgrading in the waste, make the innovative option the best choice. The simple design of the optimized process allows its implementation in a mobile plant, built within the European project, HydroWEEE. The plant mobility prevents the impacts due to the waste transport, that contributes to the 30-40% of the currently treatments. Furthermore, this advantage is combined with the possibility to treat several WEEE for the recovery of different metals. The sustainability of this approach was proved by a LCA that highlighted the positive effect also in the comparison with the primary production, with a benefit between 20 and 80%. Last, but not least, the risk for workers in the real mobile plant was assessed

Environmental analysis of sustainable production practices applied to floriculture crops in Veneto region

The widespread use of protected cultivation plays a decisive role in the economic panorama of European and Mediterranean agriculture, both under a social, by number of employed, and an economic point of view, by total GSP (Gross Selling Production) and number of satellite activities. In recent years, growers are facing a continuous downward pressure on their profit margins because of stagnant prices and rising costs. One option for small-sized companies to maintain competitiveness is to focus on specialty products, typical local flowers and plants, and seasonal products. The good responsiveness and significant WTP shown for organic and sustainable flowers and plants that emerged in recent works on consumers behavior, and a higher demand for such products especially in Northern European countries, can also represent strategic tools for the sector. Sustainable production is an holistic approach to goods and services that needs proper tools for its evaluation. Life cycle assessment is a widespread and internationally recognized methodology for the analysis of environmental impacts of all goods and services. The first objective of this research has been the characterization of some productive chains of Veneto floriculture under an environmental point of view through the application of LCA methodology, with the aim of identifying critical points and determining a carbon footprint for the final products. A preliminary data collection, addressing three species of container-grown plants, poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.), zonal geranium (Pelargonium ×hortorum) and cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum Mill.), was conducted during FloSo project. The selected crops were chosen for their economic relevance, since they cover a significant share (17%, 20% and 22% respectively) of Italian flower plants market (ISMEA, 2010), and in order to analyze an ideal crop sequence for the average floriculture farm. The first acquired data came from two ornamental plant growers involved in the experimental trials. The project focused on the experimentation of alternative production inputs, such as biodegradable containers, which were tested in order to evaluate their feasibility during cultivation of the above mentioned species,. Furthermore, different amounts of rice hulls were introduced as a substrate component, substituting expanded perlite and increasing amounts of peat . Agronomic trials were conducted their suitability for plant growth. Our first goal was to define and carry out a first life cycle inventory (LCI) of selected crops, also trying to define average production practices and a common data capture methodology. General production practices (foreground data) for the studied species were gathered during the trials, and through a series of telephone, e-mail and personal interviews with the production managers,. These communications were used to produce and validate a general questionnaire that could be submitted to a larger sample of enterprises. With the collected data, a Carbon Footprint was performed, comparing crops grown in the compostable rice hulls container and in a traditional polypropylene pot. System boundaries were set from seedling arrival at the greenhouse to fully grown, marketable plants (plant is in flower and above-ground growth, sufficiently filling the container). Values for Global Warming Potential (GWP) category results from the characterization of raw material production, transport and use of cultivation inputs. Emissions associated with the production of capital goods (greenhouses facilities and mechanized equipment) were not considered. This first analysis showed the relative size of certain factors on the production phase, in particular the materials used for the production pots and growing media components. Fuel burned to heat the greenhouse environment turned out to be one of the major contributor to the environmental impact of Poinsettia and Pelargonium, and our results were comparable with previous studies carried out for Poinsettia plant production. Impact assessment results showed some limitations of the software databases and calculation methods, highlighting the need for more specific data. A specific and more thorough assessment was conducted for Cyclamen plants grown in four growing media amended with different rates of expanded perlite or fresh rice hulls. The analysis included all inputs from transplant to market-ready flowering plants, also considering greenhouse structures and equipment. Data on water and fertilizer sourced from the growth trials. Data on specific processes (peat and fresh rice hulls production and transport) sourcing from Ecoinvent database (ver 2.2) were modified using information collected directly via questionnaires and interviews from different Italian enterprises, and from previous literature and studies. Impact assessment was conducted using CML 2001 method. In order to increase the knowledge of this floriculture sector in our region to confirm (or deny) the validity of the environmental analysis conducted so far, we expanded the data collection process to a sample of 20 greenhouse farms belonging to Florveneto organisation (province of Treviso). The average floriculture farm from which we collected our data has small acreage (average productive area < 1.5 hectares); most farms has a garden center for retail, and is mainly family-run. The sample also included a small number of more specialized wholesale farms. The collected data describe the production stage that concerns the final grower (system boundaries are set from seedling arrival at the greenhouse to the sale of 70% of marketable plants). During the data collection process we noticed how farms with similar size and production would differ, sometimes significantly, with regard to structure types, technological level of growing equipment, management decisions, and cultivation practices adopted for the same crops. These differences extended to the view, and consequently to the willingness to adopt, sustainable production practices. Some growers felt their enterprises should take steps to progress toward sustainable production, while other growers felt they already took care of the environment, and openly criticized the restrictive policies imposed at the national level or by the European Union, in particular regarding the use of plant protection products. Growers were also concerned about the consumer’s perception of sustainable floriculture, and most of them question the benefits they would receive when adopting sustainable practices. Among the most environmentally concerned growers, different choices were made in the management practices of the studied species, according to their view of sustainability, which is intended both under an environmental and an economic point of view. Starting from these observations, a final frame of questions was formulated. The answers regarded the most important alternatives for energy conservation measures, systems to deliver heat and energy sources. Theoretical and actual performances of alternative heating systems, a wood chip boiler and an air-water heat pump powered by photovoltaic panels were compared to a conventional air heater. The impacts results were expressed for mid-point and end-point categories, in order to provide a complete set of values addressing different environmental compartments. Finally, while trying to define average impact results for of cyclamen and zonal geranium production, we investigated how different management choices and production practices affect final results. The scenarios we investigated concern typical environmental bottlenecks of protected cultivation, such as plant protection, waste management and reuse of biomass, and mineral fertilizers

Integration of EcoDesign principles within small product design consultancies

Each year in the UK (United Kingdom) hundreds of millions of consumer products are sold, leading to many millions of tonnes of waste being buried or burned annually. While there are many large businesses that produce consumer products, in the UK small product design consultancies (SDCs) make up approximately half of all employed designers. This thesis outlines an investigation into the absence of an EcoDesign agenda in product design briefs and how this might be changed in the future. In order to best establish the theoretical basis of the research, a comprehensive literature review was conducted into the practice of product designers, their relationship to society and the wider environment. In addition, existing tools and resources purporting to support product designers, with the implementation of EcoDesign projects, were analysed to understand the challenges associated with their design. Following this review, and the development of relevant research questions, a series of semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to understand SDCs better, how these organisations conduct their business, and how familiar they are with EcoDesign. A series of semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 26 participants from 22 different consultancies. As a result of these interviews, a greater understanding of the barriers and drivers SDCs face in the practice of EcoDesign was established. This led to the creation of d.eco a web-based resource, to facilitate the implementation of EcoDesign principles in SDCs. This resource was evaluated in the final stage of the research. The majority of product designers had an awareness of EcoDesign and considered that they would be able to use their skills to find the information necessary to create products with a reduced environmental footprint. A significant barrier was that EcoDesign principles could only be legitimately applied when the design brief required their use. However, briefs are not created solely by clients; they were found to be much more collaborative, thus offering designers an opportunity to influence their own briefs. So, the role of an EcoDesign resource is less about assisting the design process, like most existing tools, and more to do with the providing designers with a wellspring of inspiration. However, the resource stimulates more than just creativity. It also provides peer recommended examples of existing EcoDesign products, materials and processes, facilitating the long-term absorption of relevant information. By presenting relevant material, in an appropriate way, designers can be more confident when including EcoDesign criteria and associated principles within their briefs

12th EASN International Conference on "Innovation in Aviation & Space for opening New Horizons"

Epoxy resins show a combination of thermal stability, good mechanical performance, and durability, which make these materials suitable for many applications in the Aerospace industry. Different types of curing agents can be utilized for curing epoxy systems. The use of aliphatic amines as curing agent is preferable over the toxic aromatic ones, though their incorporation increases the flammability of the resin. Recently, we have developed different hybrid strategies, where the sol-gel technique has been exploited in combination with two DOPO-based flame retardants and other synergists or the use of humic acid and ammonium polyphosphate to achieve non-dripping V-0 classification in UL 94 vertical flame spread tests, with low phosphorous loadings (e.g., 1-2 wt%). These strategies improved the flame retardancy of the epoxy matrix, without any detrimental impact on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. Finally, the formation of a hybrid silica-epoxy network accounted for the establishment of tailored interphases, due to a better dispersion of more polar additives in the hydrophobic resin