Jørgensen Kim Riisgaard, Villanueva Alejandro, Wenzel Henrik
Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Management, Technical University of Denmark, DK 2800 Lyngby, Denmark.
Waste Manag Res. 2004 Oct;22(5):334-45. doi: 10.1177/0734242X04046489.
This analysis presents the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) carried out on six alternative options for the recycling of water at a Danish industrial laundry for workwear. The study focuses on the handling and disposal of the wet residues generated when wastewater is treated for recycling, and in accounting for long-term potential toxicity impacts. The analysed options are a combination of two water-upgrading technologies: biofilter and ultrafiltration, and three residue disposal alternatives: biogas followed by incineration of sludge at local wastewater treatment plant, thermal vitrification treatment for production of vitrified sand, and mineralization in a sludge bed. It is concluded from the results that with the current Danish environmental policy priorities, the environmental impacts of highest priority are the toxicity effects derived from the presence of heavy metals in the residues. Heavy metals originate from the dirt in the workwear that is washed in the laundry. It is further concluded that the studied water treatment technologies satisfy both the need of clean water for recycling and simultaneously help controlling a safe disposal of pollutants by concentration of the residues. The results of the study also confirm the potential of LCA as a decision-support tool for assisting water recycling initiatives and for residue handling management. The handling of residues has been identified as a stage of the water recycling strategy that bears important environmental impacts. This holistic perspective provided by LCA can be used as input for the definition of environmental management strategies at an industrial laundry, and the prioritization of investments to the environmental profile of laundry processes. In this case-study, the results of the LCA are made operational by, for example, selecting the water treatment technology which is associated wih a safe disposal of the wet residue. It is important to bear in mind that such prioritization depends on national boundary conditions. In the case study analysed, the boundary conditions steer the weighing of the environmental impacts, following the current Danish environmental policy priorities.
本分析展示了对丹麦一家工作服工业洗衣厂六种水回收替代方案进行生命周期评估（LCA）的结果。该研究聚焦于废水处理以进行水回收时产生的湿残渣的处理与处置，并考虑长期潜在毒性影响。分析的方案是两种水升级技术的组合：生物滤池和超滤，以及三种残渣处置替代方案：产生沼气后在当地污水处理厂焚烧污泥、热玻璃化处理以生产玻璃化砂，以及在污泥床中进行矿化。从结果得出，按照丹麦当前的环境政策重点，最优先的环境影响是残渣中重金属存在所产生的毒性效应。重金属源自洗衣厂洗涤的工作服上的污垢。进一步得出，所研究的水处理技术既满足了水回收对清洁水的需求，同时又通过浓缩残渣有助于控制污染物的安全处置。该研究结果还证实了LCA作为决策支持工具在协助水回收举措和残渣处理管理方面的潜力。残渣处理已被确定为水回收策略中具有重要环境影响的一个阶段。LCA提供的这种整体视角可作为工业洗衣厂环境管理策略定义的输入，以及对洗衣工艺环境概况投资优先级确定的输入。在本案例研究中，例如通过选择与湿残渣安全处置相关联的水处理技术，使LCA的结果得以应用。重要的是要记住，这种优先级取决于国家边界条件。在所分析的案例研究中，边界条件按照丹麦当前的环境政策重点引导对环境影响的权衡。
