Life Cycle Assessment of Asbestos Waste Management Scenarios: Case Study in Argentina
Publication: Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25, Issue 4
Abstract
The aim of this research was to compare the environmental impacts of applying thermal vitrification, recycling in clinker furnace, or final disposal of asbestos in a hazardous waste landfill in a case study in Argentina. The methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare scenarios through a series of midpoint and endpoint indicators. Recycling asbestos in a clinker furnace was found to be the most beneficial alternative. Transport stage contributed the most to the negative impacts of the actual management system, while vitrification was the most important one in the corresponding alternate scenario. Two sensitivity analyses were performed to compare fuel consumption variables and different scopes for the system. It was observed that changing the scope of the analysis led to major modifications in the results, reversing the trend of considering recycling as the best option. However, the initial scope was considered adequate. On-site thermal treatment was environmentally comparable to the current transport stage and might be a game changer if risk of asbestos release is considered under current conditions of landfilling.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Secretaría de Investigación, Internacionales y Posgrado (SIIP) for the granted funds.
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Published In
Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste
Volume 25 • Issue 4 • October 2021
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 19, 2021
Accepted: Jun 30, 2021
Published online: Aug 4, 2021
Published in print: Oct 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jan 4, 2022
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