Industrial symbiosis and eco-industrial networks

A key point in progressing towards a sustainable society is fi nding means to reduce the environmental load of industrial activities. For this, we need the reorganization of industries. The Zero emissions concept is a shift from the traditional industrial model to integrated system in which everything has its use. This concept envisions all industrial inputs being used in fi nal products or converted into valueadded inputs for other industries or processes. In this way,\ud industries are reorganized into eco-industrial networks such that industry’s wastes or by-products are fully matched with the input requirements of another industry and the integrated whole system produces no waste. This linking of industry is called industrial symbioses. Industrial symbiosis, as part of the emerging fi eld of industrial ecology, demands resolute attention to the fl ow of material and energy through local and regional economies

Студија на случај 1: Рециклирање и обновување на енергијата од отпадни полимерни композити

Во овој дел се презентирани можностите за рециклирање и за обновување на енергијата од отпадни полимерни композитни материјали. Истражувањата што се презентирани во овој материјал се направени од одреден број компании кои главно се занимаваат со производство на производи од зајакнати полимерни композитни материјали и компании кои се занимаваат со третирање на овие материјали на крајот од нивниот животен век. Производителите на полимерни композитни материјали имаат притисок од нивните купувачи да го земат предвид влијанието на нивните крајни производи врз околината, а исто така, од нив бараат соодветни решенија за третирање на овој вид отпад. Во рамките на оваа студија ќе бидат прикажани можностите за рециклирање на ваков тип материјал и за обновување на енергијата, врз основа на економска анализа и анализа на животната средина, а истовремено ќе биде прикажана и споредбата меѓу различните постапки

Waste treatment from polymer composite materials

the future. Also, for this type of materials, several regulations put pressure on producers to consider the waste treatment. Waste treatment of polymer composites is more complex compared to recycling of steel and aluminium, since they contain a mixture of materials with a multitude of combinations of fibres and polymer matrixes. In addition, for sandwich constructions there is also core material to consider. In this paper we started with a research of the most important issues influencing the waste management of waste products and manufacturing waste containing composite materials. These issues are environmental demands in form of regulations, waste streams, techniques for material recycling, energy recovery and methods for analysing costs and environmental effects. The studied techniques for treatment of waste are focused to material recycling and energy recovery. In the framework of this paper investigations and experimental work were performed within the case studies. The case studies were divided into three groups with respect to the included materials: carbon fibre reinforced plastic, thermoset glass fibre composite - sheet moulding compound and thermoplastic composite with natural fibre. Also, analysis of the costs and environmental effects were made. The costs of the different waste treatments were analysed from a waste producer perspective. The influence of the environmental effects was studied with Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) according to the standard ISO14040. According to the results of the analysis corresponding recommendations were proposed for each material

Calculation of carbon footprinting – making the invisible visible

Climate change is recognized as a serious global environmental problem with serious consequences for our social and economic infrastructure. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change are emitted mainly from burning fossil fuels. In order to affect climate change, GHG emissions must be measured and reduced. A new term “carbon footprint” has been coined, to describe the quantity of CO2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions emitted directly and indirectly by any individuals, companies, events, products or services. There is a number of standard methodologies for calculating carbon footprint. The basic calculation of carbon footprinting is a quick exercise, but in some other cases, when the organization calculates some indirect emissions or the emissions from particular product, a software for that purpose is available. Calculating a carbon footprint is a useful exercise only as a part of a complete environmental management system