A study of sustainability assessment model for recycling materials from the life cycle design

Abstract

According to the concept of sustainability, the goal of recycling is to maintain a long-term supply for the resources needed in the future. However, after the natural resources run through a conversion or manufacturing process, their nature might be destroyed. Then the recycling of those materials perhaps affects environmental load and product quality. If the potential influence of materials and the method of life cycle design of products could be taken into account in the early stage of product development, the effectiveness of recycling material could be highly increased. The methodology and procedures of this study are to research important literature about the life cycle design and plan the developing structure of assessment model and utilize the computer-aided environmental assessment tool named Simapro 3, assessment forms and referring guidelines on different stages of life cycle to analyze the characteristics of recycling materials and the value of selection of recycling materials. Then the study evaluates the possibility of establishing an assessment model by consulting experts. In the meantime, it establishes the guidelines for selection of recycling materials and a sustainability assessment model in life cycle design of products. At the end of study, it illustrates the application of this established assessment model and evaluates its developing potential.