LCA Project (HUda, Pegah) Second Correction

8/2/2019 LCA Project (HUda, Pegah) Second Correction

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HGSKOLAN I BORS

LCA Project Work

Polyethylene, Comparison of Incineration andRecycling

Pegah Piri, Huda Burhan

2/23/2012


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IntroductionPolyethylene is being used as packaging material and consequently has effect on the environment.Table 1. Packaging waste volume and weight proportions

Household wastes Weight percentage Volume percentagePackaging wastes 25% 50%The most frequent method to handle waste in general is land filling however there are also incinerationfacilities available which has been recognized as having higher treatment capacities. Incineration plantsmainly are located close by the cities in order to use the produced energy for district heating. Two mainaspects are in concern from the commissioners point of view:

1- Polyethylene as packaging waste should be handled with incineration or recycling? Which type ofwaste management for which type of polyethylene is the best?

2- What type of improvements can be done to reduce the environmental effect stemming frompolyethylene usage?

1- Polyethylene as packaging wastes:In order to handle polyethylene in the wastes, there are two options available as management methodswhether incineration or recycling.Polyethylene in the wastes can be grouped into HDPE (high density polyethylene) and LDPE (low

density polyethylene). The former is mainly used for container and the latter is mainly being used for thecontainers. The consumption of the polyethylene in packaging industry has been specified (Table 2):

Type of packaging Volume of LDPE(kilotonnes/year)

Volume of HDPE(kilotonnes/year)

Packaging film 115.0 2.0Carried bags 15.0 6.0Injected moulded products 1.0 101.0Blow moulded products 10.0 -Paper board for liquids,coatings

50.0 -

total 191.0 109.0

Crude oil is being used for the production of the LDPE and HDPE. However from extracted oil to LDPEand HDPE there are different processes which the raw material should pass into. Each of these processeshas different yield values. Yield definition is ratio between output and input.1) The extraction process has its own losses which have been calculated under the calculation section.2) The extracted oil turns into crude oil under the refinery process which also has losses the yioeld of

this process unit is 0.9573 kg product/kg raw material Crude oil is refined and naphtha and propaneare being produced.

3) Under the cracking process the following are being produced:- Ethylene- Propylene- Burning gas- Crack down gasoline- Heavy unsaturated hydrocarbon

The cracking furnace does its job by distillation, compression and cooling the results will be the lightermaterial and the heavier material. The lighter materials are gas, naphtha, gasoline and paraffin.The heavier material will be diesel, heavy fuel oil and resin. During the crude oil breaking process thereis as well need for use of crude oil for internal use and as well there are losses in the air and water. Theyield of the cracking process is 0.8190 kg product/kg raw material. Consequently one kg product needsmore than one kg crude oil. The produced ethylene from the cracking process is being used in the


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polymerization process. This process has different refinery values for LDPE and HDPE production whichare 0.9932 for LDPE and 0.99746 for HDPE. Under this study these values are being considered as one asthey are very small amounts.4) LDPE production: The production of this material happens under less than 230 MPa (2300 bar and

300 deg Celsius). High pressure in the production process leads to emission of hydrocarbons. Therequired pressure is being provided by the electrical powered pumps. The process is being completed

under the pletisation and extrusion facilities.5) HDPE production: The product is being produced under 2.1 MPa (21 bar) 110 deg Celsius. The

polarization catalyst is being used during the production processes. The based resin is being removedfrom the reactor and the rest of the production methods are being done the same way as LDPE.

6) The packaging process has also losses. This process uses LDPE and HDPE and turns into packagingproducts. This process has a 24% waste flow (12% for HDPE and 12% HDPE) which is beingrecovered.

7) A. Recovery: the recovery unit takes into the waste from the above units and turns the used products

into packaging products. During this process there are some waste flows 15% which are not beingrecovered and instead they turn into landfills.

B. incineration process: during this process there is no return of the recovered material into therecovery unit instead of them go into incineration and there are production of energy and heat.

8) The transportation units also have emission from the fuel consumptions of the ship and readtransportation vehicles which has been mentioned and measured in the calculations parts.

2-Less environmental impact from usage of polyethylene:There are also methods available in order to improve polyethylene in order to have less environmentalimpact.

3- Functional unit:The function unit has been chosen as the amount of the production form the process, which is 1 kt/yearpolyethylene granules (LDPE, HDPE mixture).4- Energy value of the crude oil:When it is required to have the energy values of the crude oil the value stated in the table of the appendix3.1 in the book has been used which is 41 MJ/kg.

Material and method:The process flowchart can be illustrated as below which shows it is composed of four different steps:

1- Extraction of fuel oil2- Refinery unit3- Steam cracking4- Polymerization LDPE5- Polymerization HDPE6- Packaging7- Recovery/incineration8- transportation1- Extraction of crude oil:

The oil is being produced in Norway as following data are available for:Energy consumption for extracting crude oil: 0,760 MJth/kg oil equivalents (oe)Production in the Norwegian sector: 107.3 Mt oe (79 MT oil + 25,4 Mt gas)


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The amount of the emissions to air and water as well are specified in the data base.

2- The refinery:Incoming raw material: 8652 kt crude oilEnergy requirement:

- Electricity: 0.12 MJ/kg- Internal fuel: 2.0055 MJ/kg

Emission into air:

Emission to air SO2 NOx HC CO2 particulatesg/kg product 0.5423 0.149 0.3545 108.11 0.0167Annual total (tones) 4491 1237 2936 895000 138Sulphur emissions:Mainly through internal fuel 713 tones S plus desulfurization plant which is equal to 1442 tones S. (713 +1442 = 2155)NOx emissions:Burning internal fuel (1237 tones NOx)Hydrocarbon emissions:Diffused emissions and not burned in the flare: 186 tonesCO2 emissions:Burning internal fuel and unburned flare, (870 600 tonnes + 24800 tonnes)Particulate emissions:Catalytic cracking and burning of internal fuel (69 tonnes+ 69 tonnes)Heavy metals:Nickel and vanadium present in the oil (45 kg Ni/kg oil+145 mg V/kg) they are emitted through thecombustion process.Ni: 829 kg/yearV: 2640 kg/yearTransportation of oil by tankers from North Sea to west Sweden requires 38.5 MJth/tones crude oil.

Emission into water:

The emission into water comes from wastewater processes plus surface water and ballast water.

Emission to water Annual total Per kg refinery productOil 10.3 tones 1.255 mg/kgAromatics


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3- Steam cracking:Energy requirement for steam cracking for ethylene:

1.270 MJe/kg crack product11.603 MJth/kg crack productEmission to air:

NOx: 0.847 g/kg ethyleneHC: 1.632 g/kg ethyleneCO2: 634 g/kg ethyleneEmission into water for ethylene:

Oil: 3.83 mg/kgPhenol: 75.36 mg/kgTot-N: 5.98 mg/kgThe yield values of production of LDPE and HDPE fromSteam cracking is considered as one!

1- Oil from well to transportation2- Emission of transportation3- Fuel input to ship4- Raw material input5- Emission to air and water6- Energy input (el, fuel)7- Crude oil output8- Emission to air and water9- Energy input (el, fuel)10- naphtha to transportation11- Emission of transportation12- Fuel input to ship13- naphtha input14- Emission into water and air15- Energy input (el, fuel)16- ethylene input17- ethylene input18-

Emission into water and air19- Energy input (el, fuel)

20- Emission into water and air21- Energy input (el, fuel)22- produced granules go to transportation23- Emission to air24- Fuel input to road transport vehicle25- Granules input26- Emission to air27- Waste flow28- Recovered material transported back to packaging29- Energy input (el)30- Used packaging material go into transportation31- Emission of transportation32- Fuel input to road transport vehicle33- Used packages input to recovery34- Recovered material to transportation35- Emission of transportation36- Fuel input to road transport vehicle37- Used packages input to the incineration38- Emission to air39- Energy output40- 15% landfill unrecovered material


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Extractionof crude oil

Refineryunit

Steam

cracking

PolymerizationLDPE

PolymerizationHDPE

Packaging

Recovery

1

54

3

9

6

10

15

17

12

1413

18

2119

24

8

12

2

7

11

20

16

27 Incineration

22 23

39

Transportation

Transportation

Transportation

Transportation

Transportation

28

2930

25

34

3132

33

37

38

3526

36

40

22


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4- Polymerization:Energy requirements and emissions to the environment of this step are as below:

Polymerization energy requirement and emissions:

Energy requirement LDPE HDPE

Electricity 6.578 MJe/kg 2.101 MJe/kgFossil fuels (oil) 2.190 MJth/kg 0.113 MJth/kg

Emission into air LDPE HDPE

Ethylene (disuse emissions, rejected) 8.0 g/kg 0.97 g/kgPropylene 1.01 g/kg -Flaring, CO2 8.0 g/kg 49 g/kgFreons, R22 0.86 mg/kg 0.4 mg/kgHydrogen, H2 - 0.176 g/kgSO2 117 mg/kg 6.03 mg/kgNOx 275 mg/kg 14.16 mg/kgEmissions into water LDPE HDPE

TOC 25.5 mg/kg 11.83 mg/kgOils to SAKAB (hazardous waste) 0.4 g/kg 0.40 g/kg

Energy requirement LDPE*kg ethylene/year HDPE*kg ethylene/year

Electricity 54480607610 MJe 17400996745 MJeFossil fuels (oil) 18138116550 MJth 935893685 MJ thEmission to air of internal fuel consumption

Emission into air LDPE*kg ethylene/year HDPE*kg ethylene/year

Ethylene (disuse emissions, rejected) 66257960 kg 8033777,650 kgPropylene 8365067,450 kg -Flaring, CO2 66257960000 kg 4,0583E+8 kgFreons, R22 7122,730700 kg 3312,898 kg

Hydrogen, H2 - 1457675,120 kgSO2 1,75335E+7 kg 49941,937350 kgNOx 2,27762E+8 kg 1,17277E+5 kgEmissions into water LDPE*kg ethylene/year HDPE*kg ethylene/year

TOC 2,11197E+5 kg 97978,958350 kgOils to SAKAB (hazardous waste) 3312898kg 3312898kg

Carbon dioxide emission has been calculated according to the amount of the fossil fuel consumptions.

5- Manufacturing of the packaging material emissions:Energy requirements: 3,1 MJe/kg

Hydrocarbon antioxidant: 0,3 g/kgInjection moulding of HDPE: 3,1 MJe/kgPolyethylene consumption:300 000 tone/year *0.76 (100-24) = 228000 tones/year300 km transportation to the recovery recycling plantEnergy requirement for film manufacturing of LDPE: 3.1 MJe/kgTo air hydrocarbon anti oxidant: 0.3 g/kgEnergy requirement for HDPE injection moulding: 3.1 MJe/kgTransportation distance between the PE granules producer to the manufacturing unit is 400km.


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6- Recovery and recycling:Recovery, recycling plant

228000*0,85 = 1933800 tones/year is being recycled back228000*0,15 = 34200 tones/year packaging goes to land fills300 km transportation to the recovery recycling plant

During these steps 15% of the material is wasted. The required energy for these processes is 2.98 MJe/kg.Transportation distance between consumers and the recycling units is 300 km. the recovered granulesshould be transported to the manufacturing units and the distance in between is 300 km.

Incineration:Incineration is a process during which the wastes are burned and the gases are being used both forelectricity and heat production. The main negative aspect of incineration processes is the production offlue gases.Emission resource consumption energy productiong/kg waste components

MJ/kg waste components

polyethylene plastic waste components

Emission and waste products

CO2 2440SO2 0HCl 0Hg 5,0*10^-5CO 3,17PAH 2,07*10^-5Dioxins (heating value allocation) 2,11*10^-8Dioxins (Cl allocation) 0NOx 0,317Dust 0,2

Fly ash 5,80Slag 14,0Resource consumption

CaCO3 0NH3 0,124Energy production

Thermal energy 25,3Electrical energy 11,5

Result and discussion:

1- Transportation:1

Data as collected Normalization

input 79000 kt/year 1Transportation 350 km*0.11 MJ/tone crude oil-

km=38.5 MJ/t8652 kt/year*38.5 MJ/t= 1.028*10-7

1normalization value is the amount of output of the each process


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333102 MJ/year333102 MJ/year /41 MJ/kg=8124.44 *10-6 kt/year

output 79000 kt/year 1

Emission of the transportation:

For emission form the combustion of fuel oil the following data has been collected for the emissionvalues form the table App.1.10:Emissions g/MJ fuel oil Emission and energy

consumptions in Distance 100 km

normalization

SO2 0.38 333102 MJ/year*0.38 g/MJ fuel /109 kt/g=1.2658*10-4 kt/year

1.6*10-9

NOx 0.15 333102 MJ/year*0.15 g/MJ fuel /109 kt/g =5*10-5kt/year

6.33*10-10

CO 0.013 333102 MJ/year*0.013 g/MJ fuel /109 kt/g=4.33*10-6 kt/year

5.48*10-11

HC 0.010 333102 MJ/year*0.010 g/MJ fuel /109 kt/g=3.33*10-6 kt/year

4.21*10-11

CO2 75.8 333102 MJ/year*75.8 g/MJ fuel /109 kt/g =0.025kt/year

3.16*10-7

particulates 0.03 333102 MJ/year*0.03 g/MJ fuel /109 kt/g =10-5kt/year

1.26*10-10

ash 0.007 333102 MJ/year

*0.007 g/MJ fuel /10

9

kt/g=2.33*10-6 kt/year

2.95*10-11

2- Extraction of crude oil:Data as collected Normalization

input 79000 kt/year 1Internal energy consumption 107.3 Mt/year*0.76 MJth/kg oil

equivalent = 8.1548*1010MJth/year8.1548*1010 MJth /year/41 MJ/kg=1988.9 kt/year 0.025

Emission to air 6 000 kt co2/year 0.076Oil Emission to water 1.611 kt /year 2.039*10-05outflow 79000 kt/year 1

3- Refinery unit:Data as collected Normalization

Crude oil input 8652 kt/year 1.044604567Emission into air CO2 895 kt/year 0.108058378


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Emission into air SO2 4.491 kt/year 0.000542224Emission into air NOx 1.237 kt /year 0.00014935Emission into air HC 2.936 kt /year 0.00035448Emission into airparticles

0.138 kt /year1.66615*10-05

Heavy metal V 2640*10- kt /year 3.18742*10-07Heavy metal Ni 829 *10- kt /year 1.0009*10-07Emission into water

Oil 0.0103 kt /year 1.24358*10-0 Aromatics


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0.555 kt/yearHC 0.032 3.2 g/t*8282.56 kt/year*1000=

0.0265 kt/year3,19949E-06

Particulate matter 0.0335 3.35 g/t*8282.56 kt/year*1000=0.0277 kt/year

3,34438E-06

CO 0.0134 1,34 g/t*8282.56 kt/year*1000=0.0111 kt/year

1,34017E-06

SO2 0.424 4.24 g/t*8282.56 kt/year*1000=0.035 kt/year

4,22575E-06

5- Steam crackingData as collected Normalization

naphtha input 8652kt*0.9573=8282.56kt/year 1

Electricity input 11.603 MJ/ kgethylen*(8282.56 kt/year

*10

6

kg/kt)=9.6*1010 MJ/year Hydropower is used forproduction of electricity.fuel input 1.27 MJ/kg

ethylene*(8282.56 kt/year*106kg/kt)=1.05*1010MJ/year1.05*1010 MJ/year/41MJ/kg=256.098 kt/year 1267723,989

Emission into water oil 3.83 mg/ kgethylene*(8282.56 kt/year*106 kg/kt)=0.0317 kt/year 3,82732E-06

Emission into waterPhenol 75.36 mg/ kgethylene*(8282.56 kt/year*106 kg/kt)=0.624 kt/year

7,5339E-05

Emission into water Tot-N

5.98 mg/ kgethylene*(8282.56 kt/year*106 kg/kt) =0.05 kt/year

6,03678E-06

Emission into air NOx 0.847 g/kg *(8282.56 kt/year*106kg/kt)=7.01 kt/year

0,000846357

Emission into air HC 1.632 g/kgethylene*(8282.56 kt/year

*106

kg/kt)=13.52 kt/year 0,001632346Emission into air CO2 634 g/kg ethylene*(8282.56

kt/year *106 kg/kt)=5251.14 kt/year

0,633999633

Ethylene output 8282.56 kt/year 1

6- Polymerization LDPE


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, x=5273.23, 191+109=300 total ton/year polyethylene used in packaging

Data as collected Normalization Linked flows

normalized to

function unit

*0.723Ethylene input 5273.23 kt/year 27.61 19.96Electricity input 6.578 MJe/kg*(5273.23

kt/year *106kg/kt)=3.47*1010 MJ/year

Hydropower is used forproduction of electricity.

Hydropower isused for productionof electricity.

fuel input 2.190 MJth/kg*(5273.23kt/year *106kg/kt)=1.155*1010 MJth/year(1.155*1010 MJ/year/41MJ/kg)/106=281.67 kt/year

1.47

1.06Emission into air

Ethylene (diffuse

emission, rejects)

8.0 g/kg*(5273.23 kt/year

*106

kg/kt)=42.18kt/year 0.22 0.16propylene 1.01 g/kg*(5273.23 kt/year*10^6 kg/kt)=5.326 kt/year 0.028 0.02

Flaring, CO2 8.0 g/kg*(5273.23 kt/year*106 kg/kt)= 42.18 kt/year 0.22 0.16

Freons, R22 0.86 mg/kg*(5273.23kt/year *106 kg/kt) =0.0045kt/year 2.356*10-5 1.7*10-5

Hydrogen, H2 - - -SO2 117 mg/kg*(5273.23

kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.617kt/year 3.23*10-3 2.33*10-3

NOx 275 mg/kg*(5273.23kt/year *106 kg/kt)=1.45kt/year 7.59*10-3 5.48*10-3

Emission into water LDPE

TOC 25.5 mg/kg*(5273.23kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.1345kt/year 7.04*10-4 5.09*10-4

Wastes, Oil to SAKAB 0.4 g/kg*(5273.23 kt/year*106 kg/kt)=2.11 kt/year 0.011 7.95*10-3

Out put 191 kt/year 1 0.723

7- Polymerization HDPE, x=3009.33


normalized to

functional unit

*0.412

Ethylene input 3009.33 kt/year 27.61 11.375Electricity input 2.101 MJe/kg*(3009.33 Hydropower is used for Hydropower is used


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kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.63*1010 MJe/year

production of electricity. for production ofelectricity.

Internal fuel 0.113 MJth/kg*(3009.33kt/year *106kg/kt)=340.05*106MJth/year

340.05*106 MJth/year/41MJ/kg=8.3 kt/year 0.076 0.0313

Emission into air HDPE

Ethylene (diffuseemission, rejectes)

0.97 g/kg*(3009.33 kt/year*106 kg/kt)=2.92 kt/year

0.0270.0111

propylene - - -Flaring, CO2 49 g/kg*(3009.33 kt/year

*106 kg/kt)=147.457kt/year

1.35

0.556Freons, R22 0.4 mg/kg*(3009.33

kt/year *106kg/kt)=1.2*10-3 kt/year 1.1*10-5 4.532*10-6

Hydrogen, H2 0.176 g/kg*(3009.33kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.53kt/year 4.86*10-3 2*10-3

SO2 6.03 mg/kg*(3009.33kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.018kt/year 1.65*10-4 6.798*10-5

NOx 14.16 mg/kg*(3009.33kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.043kt/year 3.94*10-4 1.62*10-4

Emission into water HDPE

TOC 11.83 mg/kg*(3009.33kt/year *106 kg/kt)=0.036kt/year 3.3*10-4 1.359*10-4

Wastes, Oil to sakab 0.40 g/kg*(3009.33 kt/year*106 kg/kt)=1.2 kt/year 0.011 4.53*10-3

output 109 kt/year 1 0.412Transportation = 400 km by long distance roads transport

8- Transportation:Emission of the transportation to packaging:

Transportation with truck with draw bar trailer has the following emissions data (Table App. 1.5):

Energy requirementand emissions MJ/t

km or g/t km

Truck with drawbar trailer, long

distance transport(Euro 2)

Emissions and energyconsumptions in 400 km NormalizationTo 300 kt/year Linkedflows

normalizedto

functional

unit (1.136)

Energy 0.65 (0.65*400) MJ/t*300 000t/year= 78*106MJ/year(78*106MJ/year /41 6.33*10-3 7,191*10-3


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MJ/kg)/106=1.9 kt/yearCO2 48 48*400 g/t*300 000

t/year=5.76 kt/year 0.0192 0.0218NOx 0.42 0.42*400 g/t*300 000

t/year=0.0504 kt/year 1.68*10-4 1.91*10-4HC 0.043 0.043*400 g/t*300 000

t/year=5.16*10-3 kt/year 1.72*10-5 1.95*10-5Particulate matter,PM

0.0067 0.0067*400 g/t*300 000t/year=8.04*10-4kt/year 2.68*10-6 3.045*10-6

CO 0.045 0.045*400 g/t*300 000t/year= 5.4*10-3kt/year 1.8*10-5 2.045*10-5

SO2 0.01 0.01*400 g/t*300 000t/year=1.2*10-3kt/year 4*10-6 4.54*10-6

9- Packaging:Data as collected Normalization Linked flows

normalized to

functional unitInput 300 kt/year 1.136 1.136Electricity input LDPEand HDPE

3,1 MJ/kg*2*300*10kg/year=1.86*109 MJ/year


Hydropower isused forproduction ofelectricity.

Emission into air 0,3 g/kg*300 kt/year *10kg/kt *10-9=0.09 kt/year

3.41*10-4 3.41*10-4

Transportation 300 km - -Input from LDPE 191 kt/year 0,723 0,723Input from HDPE 109 kt/year 0,412 0,412Output 300 kt/year*(0.882)=264

kt/year

1 1

10-Transportation:Emission of the transportation:

Energy requirement

and emissions MJ/t

km or g/t km

Truck with draw

bar trailer, long

distance transport

(Euro 2)

Emissions and energy

consumptions in 300 km

Normalization Linked

flows

normalized

to function

unite

Energy 0,65 195 MJ/t*264 000 t/year= 51.48*106MJ/year

(51.48*106

MJ/year/41MJ/kg)/106=1,25 kt/year 4.73*10-3 4.73*10-3CO2 48 14400 g/t*264 000

t/year=3.8 kt/year 0.014 0.014NOx 0.42 126 g/t*264 000

t/year=0.03326 kt/year 1.26*10-4 1.26*10-4HC 0.043 12,9 g/t*264 000 1.29*10-5 1.29*10-5

2 12% waste material


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t/year=3.4*10-3kt/yearParticulate matter,PM

0.0067 2,01 g/t*264 000 t/year=5.3*10-4kt/year 2*10-6 2*10-6

CO 0.045 13,5 g/t*264 000 t/year=3.56*10-3kt/year 1.35*10-5 1.35*10-5

SO2 0.01 3 g/t*264 000t/year=7.92*10-4kt/year 3*10-6 3*10-6

11-Recovery LDPE:, x= 168.08


normalized to

functional unit

Input 168.08 kt/year 1.176 1.176Wasted material 15%* 168.08 kt/year

=25.212 kt/year 0.176 0.176

Energy required el 2.98 MJ/kg*168.08 kt/year106 kg/kt=500.88 *106MJ/year



Out put 168.08 kt/year*0.853=142.87 kt/year

1 1

12-Recovery HDPE:, x= 95.92


normalized to

functional unit

Input 95.92 kt/year 1.176 1.176Wasted material 15%* 95.92 kt/year

=14.388 kt/year 0.176 0.176Energy required el 2.98 MJ/kg*95.92 kt/year

106 kg/kt=285.84*106MJ/year



Out put 95.92 kt/year*0.854=81.53kt/year

1 1

13-Transportation:Emission of the transportation:

264*0.85= 224.40Energy requirement

and emissions MJ/t

km or g/t km

Truck with draw

bar trailer, long

distance transport

(Euro 2)

Emissions and energy

consumptions in 300 km

Normalization

To 224.400

kt/year

Linked

flows

normalized

to function

3 15% waste goes to landfill4 15% waste goes to landfill


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unit

Energy 0,65 195 MJ/t*224 400 t/year= 43.758*106MJ/year(43.758*106MJ/year/41MJ/kg)/106=1.067 kt/year 4.75*10-3 4.75*10-3

CO2 48 14400 g/t*224 400

t/year=3.23kt/year 0.0144 0.0144NOx 0.42 126 g/t*224 400

t/year=0.028 kt/year 1.25 1.25HC 0.043 12,9 g/t*224 400

t/year=2.89 *10-3kt/year 1.29*10-5 1.29*10-5Particulate matter,PM

0.0067 2,01 g/t*224 400 t/year=4.51*10-4 kt/year 2*10-6 2*10-6

CO 0.045 13,5 g/t*224 400 t/year=3.03 *10-3kt/year 1.35*10-5 1.35*10-5

SO2 0.01 3 g/t*224 400t/year=6.732*10-4kt/year 3*10-6 3*10-6

Incineration:

Emission

resource

consumption

energyproduction

g/kg waste

componentsMJ/kg waste

components

Emission

resource

consumption

energyproduction

Kt/year

MJ/year

polyethylene plastic

waste

components*264

kt/year

Normalization

236.96 kt/year

crude oil

equivalent

Linked flows

normalized to

function unite

Emission and

waste products

CO2 2440 2440 g/kg*264kt/year*10-3 = 644.16kt/year

2.72 2.72

SO2 0 0 0 0HCl 0 0 0 0Hg 5.0*10-5 5.0*10-5 g/kg*

264kt/year *10-3

=1.32*10-5 kt/year

5.57*10-8 5.57*10-8

CO 3.17 3.17 g/kg*264

kt/year*10-3

= 0.837kt/year

3.53*10-3 3.53*10-3

PAH 2.07*10-5 2.07*10-5 g/kg *264kt/year*10-3 =5.46*10-3 kt/year

2.3*10-5 2.3*10-5

Dioxins (heatingvalue allocation)

2.11*10-8 2.11*10-8 g/kg*264kt/year*10-3= 5.57*10-9kt/year

2.35*10-11 2.35*10-11

Dioxins (Cl 0 0 0 0


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allocation)NOx 0.317 0.317 g/kg*264

kt/year*10-3 = 0.0837kt/year

3.53*10-4 3.53*10-4

Dust 0.20 0.2 g/kg*264kt/year*10-3 = 0.0528 kt/year

2.23*10-4 2.23*10-4

Fly ash 5.80 5.80 g/kg * 264kt/year *10-3 =1.5312 kt/year

6.38*10-3 6.38*10-3

Slag 14.0 14.0 g/kg * 264 kt/year*10-3 = 3.7 kt/year

0.016 0.016

Resource

consumption

CaCO3 0 0 0 0NH3 0.124 0.124 g/kg*264kt/year

*10-3 = 0.033 kt/year1.39*10-4 1.39*10-4

Energy

production

Thermal energy 25.3 25.3 MJ/kg*264kt/year*106= 6679.2 *106MJ/year

Electrical energy 11.5 11.5 MJ/kg *264kt/year*106= 3036*106

MJ/yearThe energy value of the crude oil (MJ/kg) is the same as energy value of polyethylene. The amount of theenergy being produced form the incineration can be transferred into amount of crude oil and this valuecan be used in order to be used in the normalization.

Environmental impact comparison:


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Inventory result:

All the graphs have been done by considering recovery value as one and the incineration has beenmeasured in proportion to it!

Global warming:

Recovery +transportation incineration Index GWP 20years (kg CO2eqv/kg)

Total environmentalimpact recovery (kgCO2 eqv/kg)

Totalenvironmentalimpactincineration (kgCO2 eqv/kg)

CO20+ 0.0144

2.72 1 0.0144*1 =0.0144 2.72*1=2.72

NOx0+1.25

3.53*10-4 280 1.25*280=350 3.53*10-4

*280=0.1

Global warmingtotal effect

350.0144 2.82

Figure 1- CO2 emission comparison between incineration and recovery

Figure 2- NOx emission comparison between incineration and recovery


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Figure 3- Global Warming effect

Eutrophication:

Recovery +transportation

incineration Indicator (g PO4-3/g)Totalenvironmentalimpact recovery (gPO4

-3/g)

Totalenvironmentalimpactincineration (gPO4

-3/g)NOx 0+1.25 3.53*10

-3 0.13 0.1625 4.589*10-4

Figure 4- Eutrophication effect comparison between incineration and recovery

Photo-oxidation formation:

Recovery +

transportation

Incineration Index (kg

ethylene/kg)

Total environmental

impact recovery (kgethylene/kg)

Total

environmentalimpact (kgethylene/kg)

NOx 0+1.25 3.53*10-3 0.028 0,035 9,884*10-5

SO2 0+0.000003 0 0.048 1,44*10-7 0

CO 0+1.35*10-5 3.53*10-3 0.027 3,645*10-7 9,531*10-5Photo-oxidationformation:total effect

0.03500051 0.00019415

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

recovery incineration

NOx

recovery

incineration


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Figure 5- photo-oxidation formation overall effect

Acidification:Recovery +transportation

incineration index Total environmentalimpact recovery (g SO2eqv/g)

Total environmentalimpact incineration (gSO2 eqv/g)

SO2 0+ 0.000003

0 1 0,000003 0

NOx 0+ 1.25 3.53*10-3 0.7 0,875 2.471*10-3

Acidificationtotal effect

0.875003 0.002471

Figure 6- acidification

Eco-toxicity:

recovery incineration Freshwater aquaticeco-toxicity (kg 1,4-DCB/kg)

Totalenvironmentalimpact recovery(kg 1,4-DCB/kg)

Totalenvironmentalimpactincineration (kg1,4-DCB/kg)

PAH 0 2.3*10-8 170 0 3,91*10-6Hg 0 5.57*10-8 320 0 1,7824*10-5


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Eco-toxicitytotal effect

0 0.000021734

Figure7- eco-toxicity total effect

Human toxicity:

recovery incineration Index HTP foremissions for air

Totalenvironmentalimpactrecovery (kg1,4-DCB/kg)

Totalenvironmentalimpactincineration (kg1,4-DCB/kg)

NO2 0.000126 3.53*10-3 1.2 1,512*10-4 3,53*10-3

SO2 0.000003 0 0.096 2,88*10-7 0

PAH 0 2.3*10-8 5.7*105 0 0,01311Dust 0 2.228*10-4 0.82 0 1,827*10-4Total human

toxicity

0.00015149 0.0168227

Figure 8- human toxicity total effect


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Conclusion:The process of production of LDPE and HDPE is the same however they can be disposed in

different way such as landfill, incineration or recovery. In this study the incineration andrecovery disposal methods has been studied and their environmental impacts have beenmeasured. Accordingly, the environmental impact of incineration has been quite higher thanrecovery method. The environmental impact characterization indicators have been studied andthe result shows that incineration methods have higher impacts although it provided energy in theform of electricity and heat. The above extracted data shows that the productions of HDPE havehigher environmental impact.

Economical impact of the two scenarios has been studied. The recovery industry needs if theincineration method is being used the number of the workers will be decreased and the more

employers although the industry is not providing energy as incineration does. Another impact ofthe use of the incineration industry is the higher amount of the crude oil consumption andextractions. There are higher needs of energy in the processes for extracting and transportingmore crude oil however if the recovery method is being used there will be less need for the crudeoil extraction.

References:

Baumann, H. T. (2004). The Hich Highker's Guide to LCA. lund: studentliterature.

Documents

LCA Project (HUda, Pegah) Second Correction