Page 36 - Materials Chemistry, Second Edition

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Current Practice and Future Sustainability
Extraction of raw 17
materials
Off-site On-site
recycling recycling

Manufacturing and
Reuse or recycle processing of raw
materials
Cradle-to-cradle

Use of products Packaging

Transportation and
marketing

FIGURE 1.2 New life cycle analysis based on the cradle-to-cradle concept

way to the final disposal in a landfill (grave). In other words, the product’s
design should be selected according to a safe disposal process. This process
will protect the environment but will deplete natural resources. If the prod-
uct is designed according to the cradle-to-cradle concept, materials can be
reused, no wastes get produced or can be recycled and, accordingly, there are
no negative impacts on the environment generated within the closed loop of
the life cycle of the product as shown in Figure 1.2. This can be achieved by
having industries change their products from having a cradle-to-grave design
where the product will eventually get disposed of in a landfill at the end of
its life to a cradle-to-cradle designed product where the materials are circu-
lated in a closed loop without losing any natural resources.
Due to development of strict government regulations more attention has
been directed towards eco-efficiency, which implies minimizing waste dis-
posal, pollution and natural resource depletion. Although some environmental,
economic and health benefits have been achieved due to eco-efficiency, sus-
tainable development cannot be based on improving the efficiency of a fun-
damentally destructive cradle-to-grave system. It can only be achieved in the
presence of an effective system that fundamentally promotes sustainability.
The environmental and health impacts as well as depleting the natural
resources as a result of using traditional treatment, incineration and/or final
disposal through landfill are becoming more dangerous and disastrous for
sustainable development. Establishing or approaching a new LCA based on
the concept of cradle-to-cradle instead of cradle-to-grave by a full utilization