Life cycle assessment of the co-processing chain of industrial waste

Abstract

Co-processing has been considered a double gain, converging the interests of waste generators who need to treat and dispose of their waste with the energy demand of the cement industries. The general objective of the study is to identify the main environmental impacts of the industrial waste processing chain in the production of clinker. The methodology consisted of using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The approach was from the cradle to the gate and the functional unit was the production of one ton of clinker. The chosen Impact Assessment method was ReCiPe and the data submitted to characterization, normalization and weighting using three different groups and finally submitted to the mixing triangle. The results of the inventory showed that: (1) petroleum coke, metal iron and the natural resource water were the main inputs; and (2) emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrate and cypermethrin were the main emissions to air, soil and water, respectively. The characterization pointed out that the blendeira was responsible for most of the midpoint impacts, with the exception of Human Toxicity, Marine Ecotoxicity, Fossil Depletion and Climate Change. Normalization pointed to Human Toxicity as the main impact in the clinker kiln stage. It is concluded that the impact on human health at the end point is the main one in the entire studied chain. This observation allows us to first observe that the main cause is the toxic substances found in industrial residues, culminating in occupational risks in the blending and increasing the burning of the waste in the clinker oven.