Economic and Environmental Effect Analysis of Rhodium Recycling System

Abstract

This study analyzed the economic and environmental effect of recycling rhodium used in the non-catalytic field. As an analysis methodology, economic effect analysis applied cost-benefit analysis and resource-saving effect analysis and the environmental effect analysis applied life cycle assessment (LCA). The results show that from an economic point of view, the cost-benefit ratio was 1.28, which was feasible, and the cost reduction was 237,000 won based on 1 g of rhodium recycled and the amount of rhodium recycled was 7.17 billion won in 2025. As for the environmental effect, the greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions were compared between the case of recycling based on rhodium 1 kg and the case of overseas sales. The calculation results show that based on rhodium 1 kg, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 99.8%, from 65 kg CO 2 eq./kg-Rh when recycling to 28,800 kg CO 2 eq. when sold overseas. The results obtained from this study could suggest that rhodium recycling is necessary in Korea where resources are scarce by analyzing the economic and environmental effect of recycling rhodium used in the non-catalytic field.