Environmental Impacts Quantification of PVC Production

Bottausci, Sara; Comăniţă, Elena-Diana; Bonoli, Alessandra

doi:10.30638/eemj.2021.158

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…For Case 2, a higher value of 457 PEI/day is presented, indicating that the product (PVC) has a significant contribution to the output PEI; the same happens with Case 3 and Case 4, with values of 5890 PEI/day and 6340 PEI/day respectively, showing that energy consumption significantly influences the increase in the rate of impact emissions in the process compared to products and waste. Comanita et al confirm these statements by placing the impacts from energy consumption within the significant environmental impacts that exist in the PVC production chain [30].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Environmental Impacts Assessment in Suspension PVC Production Process Using Computer-Aided Process Engineering

González-Delgado,

Ramos-Olmos,

Aguilar-Vásquez

2023

Polymers

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The new demands for sustainable operation in the chemical industry due to increasing environmental regulations and agreements have generated the need to adapt existing processes to more intelligent production. The plastics sector is in a complex position due to its contribution to economic development and the climate crisis. Therefore, environmental assessment has become an important tool due to the benefits it provides by quantifying the environmental performance of processes, allowing it to balance operational and environmental needs. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most globally used polymers thanks to its resistance, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. The polymer is synthetized by suspension polymerization, which is characterized by high productivity and controllability. However, it presents problems associated with intensive energy consumption and the emission of toxic substances and greenhouse gases. Therefore, an environmental assessment of the suspension PVC production process was performed using the waste reduction algorithm (WAR). The potential environmental impact (PEI) was quantified using the generation rate and the output velocity for four cases and three different fuels. It was found that the process transforms raw materials with high impacts, such as VCM, into substances with lower PEI, such as PVC. However, the process has a high generation of PEI due to the effects of energy consumption (−2860, −2410, 3020, and 3410 for cases 1–4, respectively). The evaluation of the toxicological impacts shows that the ATP category is the only one that presents a positive generation value (75 PEI/day); the product contributes to the formation and emission of impacts. The atmospheric categories showed that the energy consumption of the process is the most critical aspect with a contribution of 91% of the total impacts emitted. The AP and GWP categories presented the highest values. It was determined that the most suitable fuel is natural gas; it has lower impacts than liquid and solid fuels (coal). Additionally, it can be concluded that the PVC production process by suspension is environmentally acceptable compared to the polyethylene or polypropylene processes, with output impacts 228 and 2561 times lower, respectively.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 93%

Environmental Impacts Assessment in Suspension PVC Production Process Using Computer-Aided Process Engineering

González-Delgado,

Ramos-Olmos,

Aguilar-Vásquez

2023

Polymers

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“…Ethylene (E) and Chlorine (Cl2) Production The life cycle of PVC (from the extraction of the raw materials to the end of the production) is considered to be harmful to the environment. This is due to the fact that many pollutants are involved in the entire process [80]. In addition, it is believed that an important phase of the potential environmental impact of PVC pipes is also their installation [82].…”

Section: Wswomentioning

confidence: 99%

Risks Associated with the Presence of Polyvinyl Chloride in the Environment and Methods for Its Disposal and Utilization

Kudzin,

Piwowarska,

Festinger

et al. 2023

Materials

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Plastics have recently become an indispensable part of everyone’s daily life due to their versatility, durability, light weight, and low production costs. The increasing production and use of plastics poses great environmental problems due to their incomplete utilization, a very long period of biodegradation, and a negative impact on living organisms. Decomposing plastics lead to the formation of microplastics, which accumulate in the environment and living organisms, becoming part of the food chain. The contamination of soils and water with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) seriously threatens ecosystems around the world. Their durability and low weight make microplastic particles easily transported through water or air, ending up in the soil. Thus, the problem of microplastic pollution affects the entire ecosystem. Since microplastics are commonly found in both drinking and bottled water, humans are also exposed to their harmful effects. Because of existing risks associated with the PVC microplastic contamination of the ecosystem, intensive research is underway to develop methods to clean and remove it from the environment. The pollution of the environment with plastic, and especially microplastic, results in the reduction of both water and soil resources used for agricultural and utility purposes. This review provides an overview of PVC’s environmental impact and its disposal options.

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“…Bottausci et al [107] addressed the growing issue of plastic pollution by focusing on PVC, a widely used polymer in engineering infrastructures. The paper assesses the environmental impacts of PVC production to propose cleaner industrial solutions and environmentally friendly products.…”

Section: Safety and Sustainability Of The Pvc Production Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bibliometric and Co-Occurrence Study of Process System Engineering (PSE) Applied to the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Production

González-Delgado,

Ramos-Olmos,

Pájaro-Gómez

2023

Materials

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PVC is widely used in packaging, electrical insulation, and medical devices due to its versatility owing to its resistance, incombustible and barrier properties as well as affordable cost. In the present study, bibliometric and co-occurrence analyses are proposed to identify trends, gaps, future directions, and challenges regarding process system engineering (PSE) applied to the production process of PVC using VOSviewer as a tool for analyzing the data obtained from SCOPUS. A mapping of different topics alluding to simulation of PVC production was provided to gain a better insight into the development of the topic and its progression. The findings indicate that the literature on this topic falls into five different clusters: modeling and simulation of PVC production, process control and optimization, and optimization strategies of the process. From a co-occurrence study we identified that mathematics and statistics applied to polymer chemistry, separation phenomena, and polymer production are the main areas of interest for further research. The trends suggest that Monte Carlo and numerical simulation can contribute to a deeper understanding of PVC’s properties and behavior. In addition, the focus on plastics and microplastics reflects concerns about the environmental impact. A bibliometric study evidenced that PSE provides the tools for improvement in PVC production processes by employing advanced process engineering techniques. Modelling and new algorithms for simulation methods of continuous polymerization processes are important to enhance accuracy and efficiency across various applications. The study also proposes a research agenda for future researchers working in the field of the use of PSE applied to the PVC production process.

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Environmental Impacts Quantification of PVC Production

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Environmental Impacts Assessment in Suspension PVC Production Process Using Computer-Aided Process Engineering

Environmental Impacts Assessment in Suspension PVC Production Process Using Computer-Aided Process Engineering

Risks Associated with the Presence of Polyvinyl Chloride in the Environment and Methods for Its Disposal and Utilization

Bibliometric and Co-Occurrence Study of Process System Engineering (PSE) Applied to the Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Production

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