A comparison of economic feasibility and emission of carbon dioxide for two recycling processes

Abstract

In order to effectively recycle Construction and Demolition, this study evaluates and quantifies the economic feasibility and emission of carbon dioxide for two recycling processes: on-site recycling process and process of a private recycling center. The results show that recycling costs were strongly influenced by the transport distance, the construction site conditions, and the amount of waste concrete to recycle, while emissions of carbon dioxide of the two recycling processes was mainly affected by the transport distance. On-site recycling process at the construction site cost only 63.8% as much and emitted only 33.6% as much carbon dioxide as the process at a private recycling center. Using sensitivity analysis, this study found that the unit recycling cost of on-site recycling process had little impact on the installation and dismantling costs of on-site recycling facilities when there was more than 10,000 metric tons of waste concrete to recycle. The process of a private recycling center emitted more carbon dioxide than on-site recycling process when the transport distance exceeded 10 km.