Chemical engineering and industrial ecology: Remanufacturing and recycling as process systems

Climate change and resource scarcity are just two of the planetary crises that make radical socio-economic essential if human society is to be sustainable. Chemical engineering a skill-set can unique contribution transition, going beyond new technological processes provide system-level understanding economic activities from perspective industrial ecology. This paper provides an example by applying process system analysis use, re-use, remanufacturing, recycling material products. Unlike ‘circular economy’ approach, starts stock goods materials in use economy models flows required build up, operate, maintain stock. Metrics developed account for effect growth on demand materials. The significance illustrated four metals whose ecologies at different levels maturity: lead, copper, aluminium, lithium. Extending product life through re-use remanufacturing crucial efficiency, using labour reduce energy non-renewable resources. If end-of-life products processed recover individual elements, cost penalties increase rapidly with decreasing concentration valuable increasing number mixture. Thus, shifting linear (make−use−dispose) closed-loop involves rethinking design used. Material substitution scarce needs look equivalence function consider changing patterns regenerative economy.