Dharavi an Urban Ecology of Recycling, Living and Working

Objective. In the construction industry, a large percentage of the disposed material parts, such as concrete and wood, are recycled in accordance with the “Construction Material Recycling Law.” Similar laws govern the recycling policies in other industries. PVC pipes are recycled by the “Japan PVC Pipe and Fittings Association” in Japan, and most of the recycled material is exported. Thus, observing the trends of the recycling system prevailing in East Asia, the aim of this research is to quantitatively comprehend the situation of the recycling system in Japan. In this study, we examine the PVC scrap material flow in Japan and other East Asian countries and quantitatively evaluate the PVC emissions and utilization of the recycled materials in each country. Results and Discussion. In this paper, we analyze the material flow of PVC products by investigating the amount of PVC production, emission, recycling, and final disposal. Firstly, we examined the amount of PVC produced in each country. PVC pipes are one of the main PVC products, with approximately 20% to 30% demand. On the other hand, the demand for PVC window frames differs in each country. In Korea and China, the frame is a popular product; however, in Japan and Taiwan, there is little demand. Secondly, we estimated the amount of emission. PVC scrap emissions in Japan peaked at 1,310 kton in 1999 and dropped to 1,180 kton in 2011. In Korea, they peaked at 600 kton in 2008 and dropped to 550 kton in 2011, whereas in Taiwan, they peaked at 900 kton in 2000 and dropped to 520 kton in 2011. The demand in China is rapidly increasing. The Chinese emission amounts have been the largest among the four countries since 1999. The Chinese emissions were 7,110 kton in 2011. Finally, we examined the amount of recycling and final disposal. In Japan, 11% of the total emissions are collected and recycled; 8% of the collected emissions are exported, and 3% are used as recycled material. Finally, 89% of the total emissions are disposed. In contrast, other East Asian counties, such as Korea and China, established a recycling system to manage the emitted scrapped PVC materials. In addition, they import recycled materials. Therefore, the status on PVC emissions’ management differs between these countries because of the differences in their emission problems and demands for PVC materials. While Korea and China focus on demand, Japan adopts policies that focus on the amount of emissions. Conclusions. The present analysis of the material flow reveals that a large amount of scrapped PVC materials emitted in Japan are exported and used in other East Asian countries. This system is affected by the demand in other countries. Therefore, reconstructing the rigid PVC recycling system of Japan should target the recycling situation of East Asia as a whole.

The ability to manufacture at the point of need in austere environments is a very important concept for the military. Research at the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is showing that agile, expeditionary manufacturing could be accomplished through use of materials at or near to the location of operating bases. These materials could include not only organic and inorganic materials naturally occurring in the area but also recycled materials (metals, polymers, etc.) from operating bases as well as battlefield scrap. This idea could potentially reduce the huge logistics tail needed to conduct wars on foreign soil, saving valuable resources and lives, and allowing the warfighter to perform the mission, instead of guarding and securing convoy transports. It would be favorable for our warfighters to have access to technology that uses locally available materials, for the following reasons: improved operational readiness, decreased energy costs related to transportation, reduction of spares inventory needed in-theater, and increased self-sustainability of operating bases. This paper describes ARL’s efforts towards delivering manufacturing operations to the battlefield using recycled, reclaimed, and scrap materials for feedstock.

Design for Change and Circularity – Accommodating Circular Material & Product Flows in Construction

The optimization of material flow in production

Research on material flows in an economy-environment system has hitherto mainly been performed in environmental science and has focused on (i) describing the physical flows required for producing a particular product, or (ii) describing physical flows in a certain period and region. Little attention has been devoted to physical flows in environmental economics. The present study attempts to fill this gap between environmental science and environmental economics. The goal of this study is to examine the physical and economic mechanisms related to flows of materials and products, as well as the policies and strategies designed to reduce resource scarcity and environmental pollution related to these flows. Thus, this book aims to contribute to integrated model-based analyses of resource and pollution problems for policy making. Although this theme of policy analysis and material flows is not entirely new, in the present study it has been approached with novel insights, concentrating on interlinked material and product flows, associated environmental issues, and substitution and recycling mechanisms in production and consumption processes. As a general framework the concept of a ‘material-product (M-P) chain’ has been adopted. This is defined as a system of linked flows of materials and products supporting the provision of a certain service. This means that it includes flows of one or more materials and flows of one or more products. The term ‘chain’ refers to the sequence of economic activities required to provide that service. This sequence consists of extraction, material production, production of products, recycling, reuse and waste treatment. Chain management can be linked to this as an overall policy strategy that explicitly considers sequential linkages between various activities in terms of both economic and physical mechanisms.

Genetic algorithm dynamic performance evaluation for RFID reverse logistic management

A framework is presented for the analysis of economic and environmental impacts of policies applied to materials-product (MP) chains. This is based on materials flows, product flows, costs, prices and optimal management of an MP chain. The main differences compared with other studies focusing on materials flows is that here the link between products or services and materials is explicitly dealt with. The framework is developed on the basis of materials balance conditions, production functions allowing for substitution, and recycling of both materials and products. After presenting theoretical MP chain-models and analytical results, an application to the problem of choosing between zinc and PVC gutters is discussed. Here optimal MP chain management decisions are presented for various policy and strategy scenarios.

This research was conducted in a company that has a small scale artisanal production of fresh sausage, located in the city of Ilhéus, in the state of Bahia. The objective of this research is to analyze the current production of artisanal fresh sausage, to make a demand forecast of this product, from there, to use a physical arrangement study method to elaborate a new layout with a productive capacity that supports the demand forecast and the inclusion of new products. This study sought a broader approach using a combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques to obtain a demand forecast and an ideal proposed physical arrangement. To validate the results obtained, the Arena® simulation software was used, which simulated the current physical arrangement and the proposed physical arrangement for an analysis of its results, identifying the need for improvements in the cutting and embedding process and an expansion of the productive capacity. Thus, it was possible to understand the production process of artisanal fresh sausage, reduce the process time by approximately 4 hours less, identify a forecast of growing demand, and identify the production and material flows, the areas needed for work grouping. , the relationship between the work sectors, the best production flow, an ideal physical arrangement of 102.43 m2 and finally a validation of an optimal production scenario. Therefore, this paper works as a proposal of physical arrangement within the design of industrial facilities in the expansion of sausage production, based on the demand forecasting study, besides favoring the potentialization of production capacity, making it more flexible, reducing costs aiming for a more profitable work environment.

Departing from two problem statements, one concerning circularity in the built environment and one concerning flexibility in the built environment, this dissertation sets out to answer two main research questions: – In an Open Building division of support and infill, to what extent can the infill contribute to sustainable circular material & product flows? – Which qualitative and quantitative criteria and preconditions are central to integrating the notions of user health & well-being, circularity, and flexibility in infill configurations? In view on these research questions, this dissertation revolves around multiple topics and disciplines, addressing material properties, material flows, product design, and user benefits, relating to a specific building component: non-bearing partitioning. The research follows a mixed-method approach, primarily qualitatively driven and supported by quantitative data and tools. Literature studies, workshops and expert consultations are applied throughout the trajectory to derive, test and adjust criteria, guidelines and design concepts. The dissertation is structured around four research chapters (each set-up as a separate academic article), preceded by a general introduction and background sketch, and followed by an overarching evaluation of the findings. The results from the first research chapter (Chapter 3) concern the distinction of various intrinsic and relational properties, as well as an inventory matrix based on building layers and material reutilisation routes. In the next chapter (Chapter 4), a first set of criteria is derived (Circ-Flex I) in order to integrate flexibility, circularity and user benefits. In Chapter 5, criteria are further elaborated, including assessment guidelines that pinpoint health, well-being, and operational performance (Circ- Flex II). The following chapter (Chapter 6) is aimed at design aspects: a design conceptualisation trajectory is laid out, applying design preconditions rooted in the criteria that were shaped in the preceding chapters. Furthermore, a novel flow analysis and modelling method is utilised with respect to secondary raw materials: the Activity-based Spatial Material Flow Analysis (AS-MFA). This stage revolves around materialisation and operational propositions for an innovative partitioning configuration of side-panel and insulation. The innovations are based on renewable material and reversible adhesive technologies. The following conclusions are derived from the research: Circularity in the built environment can only occur if flexibility is fully integrated in the whole building (component) value network, and conversely, flexibility in the built environment increasingly depends on the handling and management of materials designated for healthy, circular applications. – Infill parts, implemented in an Open Building context, enable multiple short to medium length cycles within the longer service lives of multi-family building structures, following changes in user requirements. As such, this model accommodates more sustainable product and material flows. However, decisive success factors are the attitude of and interplay between actors in the value network, not least the end-user. – Technical circularity potential of building products and materials resides at the intersection of intrinsic and relational characteristics. – The differentiation of building layers and parts, in combination with differentiated reutilisation routes, provides leverage for more advanced approaches to circular building strategies, anticipating multiple handling and treatment processes. – To bring circular building to scale in a socially engaged way, value models need to take account of actors’ shared incentives around flexibility and health, as well as split incentives around circularity. – Monitoring the operational performance is key for capitalising on the intrinsic health and circularity potential of building components during their service life. – Research and design exercises into circular building concepts and products benefit reciprocally from data and experience in adjacent disciplines, such as urban planning and waste management, whilst integrating multiple sub-systems associated with value creation in circular models. – Modifications associated with the innovative partition concepts occur above all in raw material sourcing, manufacturing, reutilisation logistics, and data-sharing, of which the latter should extend to the end-user. Next to partitioning, the findings can be relevant for other infill components as well, such as: kitchen cabinets, stairs, furniture, and the interior side-sheeting and insulation of walls and ceilings in energy-renovations. Follow-up research and practical efforts should be aimed at the development and testing of products, as well as value propositions regarding ownership: from regular transactions in which ownership shifts to the customer, to more innovative models in which ownership stays with the supplier or shifts to an intermediary actor (e.g. pay-per-use, buy-back or deposit model). Securing healthy circular material flows in the built environment cannot be the objective of one industry, let alone one organisation, but reshuffles whole value networks. This cannot be done without binding agreements and multi‑criteria learning loops. The first emphasises legal frameworks. This is therefore another prime area for future action. The aspect of multi-criteria learning loops, finally, relates to the need for more sophisticated data-exchange, also engaging endusers, which is nowadays rare in housing.

Bioinspired approaches for resource-efficient material flow in production – an innovative actuator concept for peristaltic-based transport

The possibility of the recycling of ferrous materials is examined. The percentage of ferrous in garbage, energy costs for the production of steel, and the role of scrap dealers in the recycling process are discussed. The freight rates for virgin and scrap materials are also discussed.

Recently, integrated analysis of resource and pollution issues has gained interest as it can assist in understanding environmental problems associated with resource extraction, generation and emission of waste, or combinations of these. This has resulted in attention for material flows through economic systems, in order to deal simultaneously with processes of extraction, production, consumption, substitution between materials and other factors of production, recycling of materials and products, and waste treatment or disposal. The concept of material balance (MB) is relevant in this context because it requires equality of the total inflow and total outflow of materials in production, consumption, or even entire economic systems, in the absence of accumulation of material in economic stocks, products or capital (see Section 2.4 of Chapter 2). There are many studies that describe material flows through the economy using models that formalize the MB-concept. Examples are Ayres and Kneese (1969), Kneese et al. (1970), Ayres (1978), Gilbert and Feenstra (1992), Van den Bergh and Nijkamp (1994), Starreveld and Van Ierland (1994), and Weaver et al. (1995). Most of these studies focus on the flow of one or more specific materials and do not explicitly consider the link between the material flow and economic behaviour, processes and products. As with the study on the optimal recycling of plastics of Starreveld and Van Ierland (1994), here a static optimization model including the material balance principle is presented. This model optimizes the costs for the demand for a service which includes, besides the recycling of several materials, also demand and production functions.

A significant portion of duplicate content from this article was published as “Manufacturing at the Point of Need Using Recycled, Reclaimed, and/or Indigenous Materials,” by Marc Pepi, Nicole Zander, Margaret Gillan, in DSIAC Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2018. DSIAC is a publication of the United States Defense Systems Information Analysis Center, whose content is approved for public release and whose distribution is unlimited.

Infrastructure, ecology and art

The production diversification and flexibility have complicated the activities in the field of production management. In these circumstances, researchers and operational managers feel, increasingly more, lack of an integrated model of synthetic industrial undertaking assigned to black box of it, namely the system of production. The mixt programming and allocation problem of production tasks can be dealt with in terms of optimizing the materials flow addressed as a whole in the production system. The present work presents a model for balancing the materials flow, which is based on the formal representation of the materials flow and which introduce elements of certain novelty, as well of matrix flow, the laws of evolution of the materials flow and others. The logic of materials flow formalization allows dynamic adaptive modelling and constitute the basic premise of the problem of programming and the allocation of production tasks. The emergent behavior of materials flow along with the structure of Production Planning System lead to a new logistics concept, that of Adaptive System of Production Planning and this through the development and analysis of material flow formalization elements. The main formalization elements are structured holistically and transdisciplinary as elements linking the operational management of production and operational management of the projects so that the elements of Operational Management of Production Projects.