Per: Carlos Alberto Mendes Moraes (universidade do vale do rio dos sinos - unisinos), Henrique lisboa cruz (unisinos), Regina celia espinosa modolo (unisinos)
Abstract:
This research aimed to evaluate, environmentally and economically, the cleaning and recycling processes of metal chips contaminated with cutting fluid. For this, companies in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre that generated this type of waste and had an environmental license, valid by the Environmental Protection State Foundation - RS (FEPAM) and by municipal environmental agencies, were identified through exploratory research via questionnaire followed by visitation to the selected units. From the visits, 16 routes with a path between a chip generation company and Environmental Service Providers (ESP) were identified and mapped. A simplified economic evaluation was also carried out, using the Net Present Value and Payback as a calculation basis. Based on the results obtained, the aspects and respective environmental impacts of the processes of machining, segregation, storage, and transportation of metal chips were raised. The results obtained allowed us to identify that the most significant adverse impacts come from the consumption of inputs and raw material, as well as from the transport of this waste to the ESP. From the quantification of CO2 emissions from transport, it can be observed that it is possible to reduce 48% of emissions/year, only by changing the route and the ESP that performs the waste collection. Regarding the economic evaluation, it was possible to conclude that the investment for cleaning the chips becomes feasible for companies with a high generation of this waste. In the case of low generation, it would be more feasible to pass them on to an ESP that would do the cleaning along with the chips collected from other companies, increasing the amount to be cleaned. Thus, a sustainable symbiotic network can be constituted, as well as a closed cycle towards eco-efficiency.
