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Design of recycling system for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Part 2: process hazards and material flow analysis

  • LCA OF WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
  • Published:
The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

In this series of papers, we present a design of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) recycling system considering environmental impacts, chemical hazards, and resource availability. We applied life cycle assessment (LCA), environment, health, and safety (EHS) assessment as well as material flow analysis to the evaluation of the recycling system.

Purpose

Recycling systems for highly functional plastics such as PMMA have not been studied sufficiently. Along with the popularization of PMMA-containing products such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), the use of PMMA is steadily increasing, which will result in more waste of PMMA in the next decades. In this study, pyrolysis process for recycling waste PMMA into methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer was examined, considering not only general environmental impacts quantified by life cycle assessment but also local environment, health, and safety hazards, and raw material availability.

Methods

Process EHS hazards assessment was applied to quantify the local effects of the PMMA monomer recycling process. Process hazards are strongly connected with the hazardous properties of chemical substances and stream conditions within the process. Two alternative cooling methods exist, and their difference was analyzed by LCA and EHS assessment. Besides the process hazard, the availability of waste PMMA must be an important point for the feasibility of implementing the PMMA monomer recycling process. The available amount can be quantified by analyzing the material flow of PMMA-containing products. PMMA contained in LCDs as light guide panels was selected as a feasible source of waste PMMA, and the quantity of PMMA flows in the society was evaluated.

Results and discussion

In the case of PMMA, monomer recycling has less process hazard than the production of fresh MMA from crude oil. The implementation of circulated cooling water could significantly decrease the process hazard in PMMA pyrolysis attributable to chemical hazards. Material flow analysis revealed that the availability of waste PMMA shows a fluctuating trend in the next 20 years because of the sharp peak demand for LCD television sets. The fluctuation is strongly dependent on the lifetime of LCD television sets.

Conclusions

PMMA monomer recycling has a potential to reduce environmental impacts with a less process hazards than fresh MMA production from crude oil. The availability of waste PMMA has a strong relationship with the lifetime of LCD television sets. The multiple and comprehensive assessments can reveal various aspects of a process technology.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Katsumi Fujisaki (Mitsubishi Electric Co., Ltd. and Hyper Cycle Systems Co., Ltd.) and Tsuruoka Co., Ltd. for their cooperation in the investigation of the recycling processes. The authors also thank Yuma Yuguchi for their cooperation in the simulation of process models and the collection of data for LCA. A productive discussion on MFA with Dr. Ichiro Daigo is appreciated. Part of this study was supported by a grant-in-aid for scientific research (B) (no. 23360404) and scientific research (A) (no. 24246150) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. The author (Yasunori Kikuchi) was supported through the Japan Society for Promotion of Science Institutional Program for Young Researchers Overseas Visits and Young Researchers Overseas Study Program for Mechanical Systems Innovation managed by the Global COE Program, “Global Center of Excellence for Mechanical Systems Innovation,” by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Presidential Endowed Chair for “Platinum Society”, The University of Tokyo, Ito International Research Center, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-0033, Tokyo, Japan

    Yasunori Kikuchi

  2. Department of Chemical System Engineering, the University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8656, Tokyo, Japan

    Yasunori Kikuchi & Masahiko Hirao

  3. Institute for Chemical- and Bioengineering, Safety and Environmental Technology Group, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, 8093, Zurich, Switzerland

    Hirokazu Sugiyama, Stavros Papadokonstantakis & Konrad Hungerbühler

  4. Mitsubishi Rayon, co., Ltd, 1-1, Marunouchi 1-Chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8253, Japan

    Takashi Ookubo & Akinobu Sasaki

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  1. Yasunori Kikuchi
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  2. Masahiko Hirao
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  5. Konrad Hungerbühler
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  7. Akinobu Sasaki
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Correspondence to Yasunori Kikuchi.

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Responsible editor: Yasunari Matsuno

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Kikuchi, Y., Hirao, M., Sugiyama, H. et al. Design of recycling system for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Part 2: process hazards and material flow analysis. Int J Life Cycle Assess 19, 307–319 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-013-0625-x

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