Current recycling regulations and technologies for the typical plastic components of end-of-life passenger vehicles: a meaningful lesson for China

China became the largest automotive producer and the biggest automobile market in the world in 2009, but the scrap vehicle recycling industry is still in its beginning stage. Especially, the scrapped plastic parts recycling technology lags behind developed countries. Therefore, in-depth studies on the recycling of automotive plastics are significant and beneficial for environmental protection, energy conservation and the sustainable development of the Chinese automotive plastic industry. In this article, automotive plastic components recycling-related rules and regulations about developed countries and China are discussed first. According to the passenger vehicle plastic part types, the recycling technologies for typical plastic components of end-of-life passenger vehicle are analyzed comprehensively. Based on the combination of contemporary domestic and foreign plastic recycling technology and the result of the current research, the problems and future development for the ELVs plastic recycling industry in China are deliberated, at the same time, some constructive ideas and suggestions for the industry are provided.     

中国再生资源产业管理政策体系分析

中国再生资源产业发展离不开国家政策的支持。归类梳理和分析相关政策有利于把握现有政策体系的内在联系,实现整体的政策改进。提出中国现有关于再生资源产业的管理政策可以归纳为5个方面:再生资源回收和利用综合性管理、再生资源回收体系专门管理、环境保护领域固体废弃物管理、资源综合利用和废物进口管理。在此基础上,揭示相关政策间的层次关系和内在联系,并加以综合评价。     

关于我国报废汽车市场发展趋势的初步研究

随着汽车保有量的快速上升,我国报废汽车市场规模正在进入快速增长区间。根据发达国家的经验,报废汽车拆解与回收利用是循环经济产业的重要支柱。未来我国报废汽车市场规模的增长以及相关资源回收利用市场的发展,将会产生许多新的市场机会,也会对我国循环经济产业发展产生较大影响。     

A review of waste prevention through 3R under the concept of circular economy in China

The large waste generation has become one of the worldwide environmental problems. Circular economy has been seen as a way to tackle its urgent problems of environmental degradation and source scarcity. In recent years, under the concepts of circular economy, waste prevention through “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” (3R) rules have attracted a broad concern in China. China has made some great achievements on waste management, and at the same time is facing many challenges. It is very necessary to share the management experiences and practices with the scholars and managers in other countries. This review covered the current situation and progress of circular economy development from the perspective of the legal regime and project practices, and the recycling practices of typical waste. The typical household wastes, including municipal solid wastes (MSW), e-waste, and end of life vehicles (ELV), were studied as the typical cases. Based on an examination of the statistical results, we also identified the potential problems and challenges for waste prevention through 3R in China. Finally, we provided some effective measures to further improve the waste management and recycling in China.     

The development and prospects of the end-of-life vehicle recycling system in Taiwan

Automobiles usually contain toxic substances, such as lubricants, acid solutions and coolants. Therefore, inappropriate handling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) will result in environmental pollution. ELV parts, which include metallic and non-metallic substances, are increasingly gaining recycling value due to the recent global shortage of raw materials. Hence, the establishment of a proper recycling system for ELVs will not only reduce the impact on the environment during the recycling process, but it will also facilitate the effective reuse of recycled resources. Prior to 1994, the recycling of ELVs in Taiwan was performed by related operators in the industry. Since the publishing of the “End-of-life vehicle recycling guidelines” under the authority of the Waste Disposal Act by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in 1994, the recycling of ELVs in Taiwan has gradually become systematic. Subsequently, the Recycling Fund Management Board (RFMB) of the EPA was established in 1998 to collect a Collection–Disposal–Treatment Fee (recycling fee) from responsible enterprises for recycling and related tasks. Since then, the recycling channels, processing equipment, and techniques for ELVs in Taiwan have gradually become established. This paper reviews the establishment of the ELV recycling system, analyzes the current system and its performance, and provides some recommendations for future development. The reduction of auto shredder residue (ASR) is a key factor in maximizing the resource recovery rate and recycling efficiency. The RFMB needs to provide strong economic incentives to further increase the recycling rate and to encourage the automobile industry to design and market greener cars.     

Recycling and pollution control of the End of Life Vehicles in China

The quantity of vehicles has increased rapidly in recent years in China; however, the recycling of End of Life Vehicles (ELV) faces several problems and barriers including the collection difficulty and the environmental pollution caused by improper dismantling. In this paper, based on analysis of the basic situation regarding management and recycling of ELV in China, the ELV flow was introduced, and the potential ELV quantity was estimated. The current management regulations and policies were summarized, and dismantling and pollution control technologies for ELV recycling were introduced, too. It was suggested that with the rapid growth of ELV quantities, more regulations will be enacted, and the recycling network will be more effective; the dismantling technology and pollution control measures will be upgraded, and the recycling and remanufacturing industries will be more combined. The government should pay more attention to improve the management and supervision of, and encourage the development of, high level enterprises.     

燃料乙醇行业环境污染控制评价指标体系的构建

在分析我国燃料乙醇行业基本信息的基础上,根据其原料特性、生产规模、生产技术、污染控制措施、环境管理等方面的特点,筛选出合适的指标,构建多层次燃料乙醇行业环境污染控制评价指标体系。运用层次分析法确定指标权重分值,建立燃料乙醇行业环境污染控制评价模型,并选取国内燃料乙醇典型企业进行调研,结合行业现状对该指标体系做出合理性和可行性分析。     

我国电子废物回收处理产业政策及机遇与挑战分析

针对近年我国频繁出台的电子废物回收处理产业政策,系统论述了其发展脉络,并从循环经济角度出发,分析了我国电子废物产业发展的主体思路,同时还对我国电子废物回收处理产业发展机遇与存在的问题进行剖析,对如何稳定企业的电子废物来源、提升产业技术水平及降低企业运营成本进行建议性分析。     

石油钻井行业清洁生产评价体系研究

新疆地处干旱区,生态环境脆弱,就油田开发生产而言,会产生污水、废渣、落地油处理和原油回收等技术问题。钻井过程为整个石油开发过程中最重要、最复杂、施工作业时间较长、能耗最大的关键生产环节,使用的钻井液和产生的泥浆都会对环境产生污染。选取钻井作业进行分析,建立一套适合油田钻井行业特点,具有科学性、系统性、激励性、规范性,且符合当前环境管理水平的清洁生产评估指标体系,对于当前石油勘探开发行业推进实施清洁生产具有十分重要的意义。     

Effect of informal recycling on waste collection and transportation: the case of Chiclayo city in Peru

This paper analyses the evolution of national solid waste policy in Peru and the increasing relevance of informal recycling. Despite this rise in relevance, source separation and incorporation of informal recyclers within municipal plans is still slow, and collection of mixed waste is being considered. Waste collection and transportation costs represent the main share in municipal budgets and this research calculates cost reductions as a result of informal recycling and waste picking. The city of Chiclayo in Peru is presented as a case study. The paper finds that so far, waste picking has resulted in a reduction of two collection rounds but not a reduction in the number of vehicles collecting waste. Looking to the future, recovery of the remaining materials will not have an effect on collection rounds and number of vehicles. The research concludes that synergy between municipal systems and informal recycling can be maximized if new operational conditions are implemented. It introduces the concepts of “critical work shift,” which is the time of the day when the system requires maximum quantity of resources (i.e. vehicle-hours), and “sensitivity to variations in waste amounts,” and proposes strategies to promote recycling based on these new operational concepts.     

Sustainable design for automotive products: Dismantling and recycling of end-of-life vehicles

The growth in automotive production has increased the number of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) annually. The traditional approach ELV processing involves dismantling, shredding, and landfill disposal. The “3R” (i.e., reduce, reuse, and recycle) principle has been increasingly employed in processing ELVs, particularly ELV parts, to promote sustainable development. The first step in processing ELVs is dismantling. However, certain parts of the vehicle are difficult to disassemble and use in practice. The extended producer responsibility policy requires carmakers to contribute in the processing of scrap cars either for their own developmental needs or for social responsibility. The design for dismantling approach can be an effective solution to the existing difficulties in dismantling ELVs. This approach can also provide guidelines in the design of automotive products. This paper illustrates the difficulty of handling polymers in dashboards. The physical properties of polymers prevent easy separation and recycling by using mechanical methods. Thus, dealers have to rely on chemical methods such as pyrolysis. Therefore, car designers should use a single material to benefit dealers. The use of materials for effective end-of-life processing without sacrificing the original performance requirements of the vehicle should be explored.     

我国报废汽车回收拆解企业发展的关键问题研究

报废汽车回收拆解具有巨大的经济、环境和社会效益。我国报废汽车回收拆解企业正面临极佳的发展环境,但目前存在着诸多问题,需要进行转型升级。提出报废汽车回收拆解企业转型升级过程中存在的若干关键问题,即回收阶段中的报废汽车量预测、回收模式选择、报废汽车回收网络构建;拆解阶段中的拆解工艺选择、拆解设备选择;产品销售阶段中的产品分类及市场分析、销售模式确定及销售网络构建、产品定价等问题,并对这些问题进行分析,提供解决方法和措施。     

Evaluation of the effect of automotive bumper recycling by life-cycle inventory analysis

This paper describes a case study of the application of life-cycle inventory analysis to automotive bumper recycling. Two scenarios of bumper recycling are compared. One is “bumper-to-bumper recycling,” in which we recycle bumpers into more bumpers. The other is “cascade recycling,” in which bumpers are recycled into different parts of a car with a lower function. Inventory analysis is applied to both these recycling scenarios by analyzing the stages of acquiring natural resources, manufacturing materials, and parts, disposal, and recycling. We chose air emission, solid waste, and fossil fuel resources as items of the inventory analysis. We quantified the effect of reductions in the environmental load by recycling bumpers, and found that reductions in the environmental load were larger with cascade recycling than with bumper-to-bumper recycling based on current conditions. Received: February 2, 2000 / Accepted: April 21, 2000     

积极参与循环经济努力成为再生资源行业排头兵

中国再生资源开发有限公司作为供销总社的控股企业和我国最大的专业性再生资源回收利用企业,努力拼搏,改革创新,抢抓机遇,构建回收网络体系,立足环保,注重科技研发,现已发展成为再生资源行业的龙头企业,推动了再生资源产业的升级发展。     

转变观念 突破思维——对供销社再生资源行业的冷思考

在我国转变经济发展方式、调整经济结构的转型期,供销社再生资源行业面临重大的机遇和挑战。对传统再生资源回收企业如何抓住机遇、转变观念、突破创新,进行了深入、全面的分析。     

Emergy analysis of the recycling options for construction and demolition waste

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is becoming a major contributor to environmental pollution. In Shanghai, China, the quantity of C&D waste is 2.11E+07 t/yr, which accounts for 45% of the total quantity of solid waste. There has been a growing promotion of recycling C&D waste as an effective way to solve this waste problem. However, the evaluation of the efficiency of recycling C&D waste as a potential source of resources is largely based on traditional economic analysis. The economic analysis emphasizes money instead of the harmony between economic benefit and environmental effects. There is a need for a new strategic approach to investigate the efficiency of recycling C&D waste to achieve the integration between economic, social and environmental effects. Emergy theory can be employed to analyze different recycling options for C&D waste. With reference to the Chinese construction industry, this paper demonstrates that the close-loop recycling option is better than the open-loop recycling option for C&D waste in terms of the integration of social, environmental and sustainable aspects. To evaluate different technology solutions for C&D waste recycling, the emergy theory and method is not limited to a cost-benefit balance but can include economic, social, environmental and sustainable effects.     

Estimation of world trade for used automobiles

In order to provide the basic information for building an international automobile recycling system, this article attempts to estimate the multilateral trade for used automobiles. First, the problems in evaluation of the used automobile trade were clarified through the trade data obtained from the United Nations database (UN-DB) and the Global Trade Information Services database (GTI-DB). Furthermore, we developed an estimation method for the used automobile trade using the highlighted advantages of the UN-DB and GTI-DB. The reasons for employing this estimation method were to correct the systematic errors in both databases and to sample used automobile data from the UN-DB by using the new and used automobile information in the GTI-DB. The world trade volume for used passenger cars in 2005 was estimated by the method developed. These results indicated that total trade volume was 5.65 × 10⁶ vehicles, and that the exports from Germany, the United States, and Japan comprise 22%, 21%, and 20% of the global total, respectively. Moreover, the results indicate that these countries export used passenger cars not only to developing countries (54%), but also to developed countries (46%).     

再生资源行业特点与企业盈利模式分析

再生资源行业涉及第一、第二与第三产业,其独特的行业属性对行业企业发展战略的制定有着重大的影响。随着循环经济产业的快速发展,针对不同企业、不同业务、不同工作对象的企业运营策略的制定,显得尤为重要。对再生资源行业本质与行业特点的分析解读,为企业明确发展思路、制定发展战略提供策略与方法上的参考。     

WEEE flow and mitigating measures in China

The research presented in this paper shows that Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) issues associated with home appliances, such as TV sets, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and personal computers, are linked in the WEEE flow and recycling systems and are important to matters of public policy and regulation. In this paper, the sources and generation of WEEE in China are identified, and WEEE volumes are calculated. The results show that recycling capacity must increase if the rising quantity of domestic WEEE is to be handled properly. Simultaneously, suitable WEEE treatment will generate large volumes of secondary resources. Environmental problems caused by the existing recycling processes have been investigated in a case study. Problems mainly stem from open burning of plastic-metal parts and from precious metals leaching techniques that utilize acids. The existing WEEE flow at the national level was investigated and described. It became obvious that a considerable amount of obsolete items are stored in homes and offices and have not yet entered the recycling system. The reuse of used appliances has become a high priority for WEEE collectors and dealers because reuse generates higher economic profits than simple material recovery. The results of a cost analysis of WEEE flow shows that management and collection costs significantly influence current WEEE management. Heated discussions are ongoing in political and administrative bodies as to whether extended producer responsibilities policies are promoting WEEE recycling and management. This paper also discusses future challenges and strategies for WEEE management in China.     

废旧商品回收体系建设要略初探

国务院总理温家宝召开国务院常务会议,部署建立完整的先进的废旧商品回收体系,指出,中国废旧商品回收体系很不完善,不仅影响废物利用,而且极易造成环境污染,建立完整、先进的回收、运输、处理、利用废旧商品回收体系已刻不容缓。作为再生资源回收行业的主力军,供销社在废旧商品回收体系建设中如何应对并开展工作,对此进行了全面的探讨。