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Life cycle inventory of recycled aggregates derived from construction and demolition waste

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Abstract

This study is performed to identify environmental aspects that can be improved during the derivation of recycled aggregates (RAs) from construction and demolition waste (CDW). The Life Cycle Inventory of RAs is established by considering the “gate to gate” scope. Primary data acquired by a Brazilian CDW processing company are used. The result shows that, to derive 1 m3 of RAs, the amount of raw material (i.e., CDW) required is 1.01 to 1.67 m3. The output includes embodied energy and water measuring 2.22–4.35 MJ/m3 and 15.38–30.30 L/m3, respectively; meanwhile, the CO2 emission from the beneficiation process is 5.07–6.20 kg·CO2/m3. Transport emissions are also significant in the environmental impact of recycled aggregates. CO2 emission associated with the transport of CDW and RAs is investigated, in which transport is optimized and non-optimized when the CO2 emission is 0.27–7.68 and 0.53–15.35 kgCO2/m3, respectively. This study is relevant to the circular economy and corroborates the closure of the life cycle of materials used in the civil construction sector by identifying the effects of CDW recycling and RA derivation, as well as their application in civil construction.

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Data Availability

The datasets generated during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Notes

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  2. https://sidac.org.br/.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for the current study (process 457309/2014-8), as well as UNILA/Pró-Reitoria de Pesquisa e Pós-graduação (PRPPG).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Master by Graduate Program in Environmental Technologies, Federal University of Technology–Paraná, UTFPR, Medianeira, Brazil

    Candida Fachinetto Paz

  2. Master’s Degree Student at Graduate Program in Civil Engineering, Federal University of Latin American Integration, UNILA, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

    Robson Biela

  3. Latin American Institute of Technology, Infrastructure and Territory, Federal University of Latin American Integration, UNILA, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

    Katia Regina Garcia Punhagui & Edna Possan

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  1. Candida Fachinetto Paz
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  2. Robson Biela
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  3. Katia Regina Garcia Punhagui
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  4. Edna Possan
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Contributions

CFP: conceptualization, methodology, data acquisition, results and discussion. Writing-original draft preparation. RB: data acquisition and analysis, Information regarding production process of aggregates. KRGP: conceptualization, methodology, production of data acquisition instrument, result analysis, writing-original draft preparation. EP: funding acquisition; conceptualization, supervision, methodology, results analysis, writing-reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Edna Possan.

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Paz, C.F., Biela, R., Punhagui, K.R.G. et al. Life cycle inventory of recycled aggregates derived from construction and demolition waste. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 25, 1082–1095 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-023-01594-y

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