Research Paper
Year: 2019 | Month: June | Volume: 6 | Issue: 6 | Pages: 391-396
Glass Recycling: Achieving a Compromise between Economics of Production and Environmental Benefit
Beneth C. Chukwudi, Martins B. Ogunedo
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria.
Corresponding Author: Beneth C. Chukwudi
ABSTRACT
Indiscriminate human activities impact negatively on the ecosystem. One of such is the pollution of the environment with non-biodegradable materials. In a bid to remedy this, recycling of such materials become a solution. However, for glass wastes, there seem to be reluctance by glass manufacturers in recycling glass despite the environmental benefits due to the high production cost. To this end, the study aimed at establishing a balance between the cost of production and environmental benefits. Data was obtained from one of the Glass manufacturing companies in Aba, Abia state. This data collected covered a span of six days each for 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by mass composition of cullet during the glass production. The study concludes that although recycling of glass has positive effects on the environment, energy cost and furnace running cost, it is not economically viable to recycle glass 100%. This is mainly due to the cost of cullet as against cheap and readily sourced silica sand. However, it suggests that a material mix of 25% cullet composition is optimal for production of glass.
Key words: Recycling, Glass, Cullet, Production, Economic.
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