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ABSTRACT: A four stage study of the life cycle inventories of polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) resin manufacturing, compounding, part fabrication and
disposal was conducted by IBM to evaluate the environmental burdens
associated with the use of PVC in structural applications for personal
computer products. The overall project was performed in two phases. The
first phase developed inventories for the various processes involved in
the manufacture of a typical PVC housing. These processes included
suspension polymerization of PVC, production of a commercially
formulated PVC compound, part molding, the use of copper paint for
metallization (electromagnetic shielding) of the part, an alternative
metallization technology (the use of a discrete steel liner inside the
PVC part), and the use of a waterborne paint for decorative finishing of
the PVC part as opposed to integral finish obtained from the mold. This
manufacturing phase of the study provided a comparison of shielding
technologies as well as an assessment of the relative and cumulative
burdens of the part manufacturing processes. Phase two of the project
provided ecoprofiles of three disposal alternatives for a clean PVC
plastic part at end-of-life: landfilling, incineration with heat
recovery, and a closed loop recycling option. This paper presents the
manufacturing phase data (phase one) of the project and their
relationship to the end-of-life conclusions, In addition, the work
provides recommendations for environmentally preferable design
guidelines and recycling applications
Electronics and the Environment, 1996. ISEE-1996., Proceedings of the 1996 IEEE International Symposium on; 06/1996
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ABSTRACT: This paper presents an approach and computer program for material
selection which integrates the environmental life cycle impacts of
materials into traditional engineering material selection process. This
computer prototype can be used as a decision support tool for material
selection with comprehensive consideration of material properties,
manufacturing processes, costs, and environmental impacts of a
material's life cycle. This integrated tool makes life cycle analysis
more practical and easier for engineers and can help them select
materials with considerations of environmental life cycle impacts in the
design stages
Electronics and the Environment, 1995. ISEE., Proceedings of the 1995 IEEE International Symposium on; 06/1995
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ABSTRACT: IBM is evaluating the environmental burdens associated with the
use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in major structural parts for
information technology equipment. The evaluation involves developing
life cycle inventories of the following four stages: (I) production of
PVC from raw materials, (II) PVC compounding, (III) molding, finishing
(for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and decorative appearance) and
(IV) the end-of-life disposal options This paper presents a study of the
life cycle inventories of the end-of-life disposal options of Stage IV.
The work compares landfilling, incineration with heat recovery, and an
experimental closed loop PVC recycling process implemented by IBM in
conjunction with its cathode ray tube (CRT) recycling process.
Sensitivity and scenario analyses were used to test the influence of key
parameters in each disposal system. This study demonstrates the utility
of life cycle assessment for decision-making on waste management
alternatives and defines criteria that constitute an environmentally
positive profile for a closed-loop recycling process for business
machine applications
Electronics and the Environment, 1995. ISEE., Proceedings of the 1995 IEEE International Symposium on; 06/1995
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ABSTRACT: In the design of a business machine, each of the materials,
fabrication and finishing alternatives available to an engineer can
affect key factors such as performance, reliability, safety, cost and
the environmental burdens associated with a product over its life. This
paper discusses an approach to the application of Life Cycle Assessment
(LCA) on a business machine using the fabrication of a sheet steel
computer housing as an example. The alternatives to be examined include
surface protection treatments for the sheet steel and decorative finish
options. This method allows for a quantitative accounting of significant
environmental inputs and outputs (i.e. “environmental
burdens”) comprising the ecoprofile for each of the fabrication,
finishing and disposal alternatives. Using ecoprofile tables produced
for this and other common computer components, design engineers can
quickly identify the environmental consequences of their choices and
optimize the environmental performance of the products as well as the
performance and reliability, safety and the cost of the machine. In
principle, this ecoprofile accounting approach can be extended to
include the entire computer product system, however, the complexity of a
complete system LCA is daunting
Electronics and the Environment, 1994. ISEE 1994. Proceedings., 1994 IEEE International Symposium on; 06/1994
