Life cycle assessment of glass containers : a case study of Bangkok glass disposable Singha soda water | |
| Author | Kannika Khantharam |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.ISE-10-36 |
| Subject(s) | Product life cycle--Environmental aspects Manufacturing processes--Environmental aspects |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. ISE-10-36 |
| Abstract | Glass container production process is an energy intensive process which constituent of a large amount of non-renewable resources; energy consumption. As consequence, there is a certain amount of Green House Gas (GHGs) emission to the air, water, or landfill. This research study aims to be more or less help mitigating pollution and environmental impact in number of ways. Bangkok Glass Industry is one of the largest glass containers manufacturing in Thailand. Data collections were obtained directly from Bangkok glass under glass production, from core suppliers under post-consumer glass cullet treatment. Furthermore, this study deliberated to environmental impact assessment and carbon footprint over the cradle-to-gate Life Cycle Assessment of a finished pallet Singha Soda glass container. The goal of this study is to analyze the life cycle inventory, impact assessment, improvement analysis. Moreover, an analysis of major contributions under glass production process and sensitivity analysis are also interpreted in order to manage the solutions of potential improvement. Eco-indicator 99H is the method being used for total impact assessment. The study results indicate that the most significant contributor to atmosphere, 59% of total environmental impact derives from melting process. The main source of the impact is molten glass, 72% of total energy used; natural gas and electricity load, in the whole production process. The study also reveals that entire transportation of relating raw materials, post-consumer cullet, energy, chemical, and secondary packing to each glass production influence the total environmental impact by 14.2%, whereas production alone is 85.8%. In addition, about half of total impact due to the transportation to melting process. Moreover, carbon footprint of finished pallet Singha soda glass emits 751 kgCO2 eq. and 59% or 445 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent emanate from melting furnace thanks to the fact that heat waste and fusion lost from fossil fuel combustion and chemical reactions from related raw materials. The study also illustrates that 14.7% of total carbon footprint originate from transportation and 68% is due to the melting process, whereas 85.3% of total carbon footprint comes from glass production process. Number of ways introduced to improve environmental profile as so-called cleaner production. Light weight technology is one of them that grant relatively great improvement approximately 12% reductions in total environmental impact and carbon footprint (92 kgCO2 eq.). Besides, increasing the cullet ratio to 90% as benchmark BAT can yield a great improvement on total environmental impact by 15% and 20% reduction of carbon footprint (151 kgCO2 eq.). Likewise, returnable bottle is also brought about impressive reduction of total environmental impact. Also, waste heat recovery is a tentative project to resume the waste gas released from the melting furnace. Sensitivity analysis is also conducted in order to investigate how sensitive of the LCA results due to utilization of different models, methods, products and processes. To summarize, glass bottles are 100% recyclable and be recycled endlessly without any loss in purity or quality. In order to achieve a high rate return of glass bottle that grants an impressive reduction of environmental impacts without bringing up additional technology, promoting awareness to every household to become their discipline that glass is not a waste or garbage, yet has returned great value and maintain our world green. |
| Year | 2010 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. ISE-10-36 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Industrial Systems Engineering (DISE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Industrial Systems Engineering (ISE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Bohez, Erik L. J.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Premrudee Kanchanapiya;Huynh Trung Luong;Kosai Palanond; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | RTG Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2010 |