Abstract
People are so metimes confronted with the need to decide whether a product should be recycled or disposed off. The purpose of this project was to assess whether it is more environ mentally sustainable to recycle paint than to dispose it off in a landfill or not. Lifecycle assessment method was used to analyze potential environ mental costs and benefits associated with paint recycling. Data used for the analyses were collected from a recycled paint manufacturing company, literature, and a database. The lifecycle impact analyses of the paint recycling p rocess were based on monthly production of a recycled latex paint brand. Results of the analyses revealed that the process have a monthly 122760.8kg CO2-eq global warming potential (GWP), 1481.6 max kg O2-eq eutrophication potential (EP), and 106.8kg C2H4-eq photochemical o zone creat ion potential (POCP). The LCA results showed an environ mental benefit of eliminating 31,237.29kg CO2-eq GWP, 0.02kg CFC-11eq Ozone depletion potential (ODP), 5943.58kg C2H4 eq POCP and 197.83 max kg O2 eq EP by recycling latex paint rather than disposing it off in the landfill and producing equal amount of latex paint to replace it . Results also revealed that recycling of paint containers and plastics reduces the GWP by 25.34%, ODP by 29.79%, POCP by 15.39%, and EP by 12.47%. Paint recycling is therefore not only econo mically wise but it is also ecologically sustainable.
Highlights
Water dilutable paints are widely used all over the world as a backdrop to the campaign against solvent emissions
Ho wev er, increasing awareness of the potential environ mental and health risks posed by residual paints necessitated regulation of waste paint d isposal
Lifecycle Analysis (LCA ) method was used for this study because it is a co mprehensive and proven analytical tool for Israel Dunmade: Recycle or Dispose Off? Lifecycle Environmental
Summary
Water dilutable (latex) paints are widely used all over the world as a backdrop to the campaign against solvent emissions. They are used for surface protection, beautification and rejuvenation. Latex paints are applied in residential and commercial indoor environments. They are used in the painting of car bodies[1]. About 30 million litres of paint is sold in A lberta, Canada every year. 5-10% of these paints and over 1 million empty paint containers are disposed off annually in A lberta[2]. Ho wev er, increasing awareness of the potential environ mental and health risks posed by residual paints necessitated regulation of waste paint d isposal. Waste paint constitutes around 21.7% o f the total hazardous wast e (HZW ) co llect ed by mu n icipalit ies in Ont ario
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