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A life cycle assessment case study of ground rubber production from scrap tires

  • LCA OF WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The number of scrap tires generated in China has grown dramatically every year. Generation of ground rubber from scrap tires is the dominant management option in China. It is necessary to assess the environmental impacts of ground rubber production from scrap tires to provide technical advices on a cleaner production.

Methods

Production of ground rubber from recycled scrap tires consist of three steps: rubber powder preparation, devulcanization, and refining. A process life cycle assessment (LCA) of ground rubber production from scrap tires is carried out, and Eco-indicator 99 method coupled with ecoinvent database is applied to evaluate the environmental impacts of this process.

Results and discussion

During the ground rubber production stage, the impact factor of respiratory inorganic is the most serious one. Devulcanization has the highest environmental load of about 66.2 %. Moreover, improvement on the flue gas treatment contributes to a cleaner production and a more environmental-friendly process. Applying clean energy can largely reduce environmental load by about 21.5 %.

Conclusions

The results can be a guidance to reduce environmental load when producing ground rubber from scrap tires. Meanwhile, increasing energy efficiency, improving environmental protection equipment, and applying clean energy are the effective measures to achieve this goal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Biomass Chemical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Industrial Ecology and Environment, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Wei Li, Qiaoli Wang & Sujing Li

  2. Institute of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Wei Li, Qiaoli Wang & Jiajia Jin

Authors
  1. Wei Li
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  2. Qiaoli Wang
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  3. Jiajia Jin
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  4. Sujing Li
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Correspondence to Sujing Li.

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Responsible editor: Shabbir Gheewala

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Li, W., Wang, Q., Jin, J. et al. A life cycle assessment case study of ground rubber production from scrap tires. Int J Life Cycle Assess 19, 1833–1842 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-014-0793-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-014-0793-3

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