Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 6. Comparison of waste management costs
Current Waste Management
Cost ($/year)
Waste Management Cost of
Suggested Alternative ($/year)
Cost Improvement
Waste
ON-SITE RECYCLED WASTES
Refurbished Battery
207,240
10
96%
OFF-SITE RECYCLED WASTES
Dross of grid casting
203,552
108,920
47%
WASTEWATER
Wastewater
174,413
*94,957
46%
TOTAL COSTS
585,205
108,930
82%
* The addition of excess parts and rejected grids in batch mode is taken into basis
CONCLUSION
implementing all the alternative waste manage-
ment solutions suggested. The calculation of the
waste management cost of the suggested alterna-
tive for the dross obtained in grid casting operation
is based on the alternative waste management
solution covering the addition of excess parts and
rejected grids in batch mode.
This study has introduced an environmentally
integrated manufacturing system analysis meth-
odology for companies willing to be a part of the
sustainable development by efficiently using the
principles of “cleaner” production techniques in
obtaining high productivity levels. The wastes
derived from the manufacturing process should be
minimized in order to reduce the amount of raw
materials used and decrease the need for wastes'
recycling. The problem considered is the investiga-
tion of a systematic methodology decreasing the
waste obtained from the manufacturing process
while simultaneously improving the overall per-
formance of the company. This methodology is
important in being a roadmap for the evaluation
of environmentally friendly and economically
favorable alternative waste management solutions.
By using this methodology, the manufacturing and
waste management system of a company can be
analyzed, alternative waste management solutions
for decreasing wastes can be investigated, evalu-
ated and compared.
FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
It is believed that several new approaches and
techniques can be added to improve this methodol-
ogy in the future. A decision support tool can be
designed for calculating and comparing costs and
benefits of solution alternatives. By using such a
decision support tool, the unit costs and unit profits
can be saved in the system and costs of solution
alternatives can be easily calculated. It will be
also possible to define criteria and give weights to
them in order to compare the operational, techni-
cal, economical and environmental characteristics
of solution alternatives. Implementation of this
environmentally integrated manufacturing system
analysis in a different sector or company will also
provide important inputs for improving the system
and understanding its capabilities.
