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Comparing environmental impacts of natural inert and recycled construction and demolition waste processing using LCA

    Isabela Maria Simion Affiliation
    ; Maria Emiliana Fortuna Affiliation
    ; Alessandra Bonoli Affiliation
    ; Maria Gavrilescu Affiliation

Abstract

Construction and demolition wastes (C&DW) are usually recognized as not dangerous, but their accumulation can generate serious environmental problems. In spite of C&DW high potential to be reused/recycled, the practical procedures need to be assessed in terms of environmental consequences. The objective of this study is to quantify the environmental impacts of C&DW recycling/reuse, specifically in the production of aggregate 0/30 mm, comparative to those generated during the natural inert processing, in terms of global impacts addressing the whole process and for each technological phase. The analysis was carried out using Life Cycle Assessment methodology, assisted by SimaPro software, and based on primary data collected directly from the Italian Emilia Romagna region. Three methods were used for impact quantification: Eco-Indicator 99, EDIP/UMIP and Cumulative Energy Demand. The analysis revealed that the environmental impacts generated by C&DW recycling/reuse accounting for about 40% of the impacts induced by natural inert processing.

Keyword : C&DW, energy, environmental impact, Life Cycle Assessment, natural inert, recycling

How to Cite
Simion, I. M., Fortuna, M. E., Bonoli, A., & Gavrilescu, M. (2013). Comparing environmental impacts of natural inert and recycled construction and demolition waste processing using LCA. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management, 21(4), 273-287. https://doi.org/10.3846/16486897.2013.852558
Published in Issue
Dec 9, 2013
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.