Necessity and inefficiency in the generation of waste: a thermodynamic analysis

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Necessity and inefficiency in the generation of waste: a thermodynamic analysis. / Baumgärtner, Stefan; de Swaan Arons, Jakob.
In: Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 7, No. 2, 04.2003, p. 113-123.

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@article{293d4b01a08f4361bc343a7f458ee9f6,
title = "Necessity and inefficiency in the generation of waste: a thermodynamic analysis",
abstract = "The laws of thermodynamics are employed as an analytical framework within which results about society's metabolism may be rigorously deduced in energetic and material terms. We demonstrate that the occurrence of waste is an unavoidable necessity in the industrial production of desired goods. Although waste is thus an essential qualitative element of industrial production, the quantitative extent to which waste occurs may vary within certain limits according to the degree of thermodynamic (in) efficiency with which these processes are operated. We discuss the question of which proportion of the amount of waste currently generated is due to thermodynamic necessity and which proportion is due to thermodynamic inefficiency.",
keywords = "Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics, efficiency, entropy, exergy, industrial metabolism, joint production, thermodynamics, efficiency, entropy, exergy, industrial metabolism, joint production, thermodynamics, Economics, efficiency, entropy, exergy, industrial metabolism, joint production, thermodynamics",
author = "Stefan Baumg{\"a}rtner and {de Swaan Arons}, Jakob",
year = "2003",
month = apr,
doi = "10.1162/108819803322564389",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
pages = "113--123",
journal = "Journal of Industrial Ecology",
issn = "1088-1980",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Necessity and inefficiency in the generation of waste

T2 - a thermodynamic analysis

AU - Baumgärtner, Stefan

AU - de Swaan Arons, Jakob

PY - 2003/4

Y1 - 2003/4

N2 - The laws of thermodynamics are employed as an analytical framework within which results about society's metabolism may be rigorously deduced in energetic and material terms. We demonstrate that the occurrence of waste is an unavoidable necessity in the industrial production of desired goods. Although waste is thus an essential qualitative element of industrial production, the quantitative extent to which waste occurs may vary within certain limits according to the degree of thermodynamic (in) efficiency with which these processes are operated. We discuss the question of which proportion of the amount of waste currently generated is due to thermodynamic necessity and which proportion is due to thermodynamic inefficiency.

AB - The laws of thermodynamics are employed as an analytical framework within which results about society's metabolism may be rigorously deduced in energetic and material terms. We demonstrate that the occurrence of waste is an unavoidable necessity in the industrial production of desired goods. Although waste is thus an essential qualitative element of industrial production, the quantitative extent to which waste occurs may vary within certain limits according to the degree of thermodynamic (in) efficiency with which these processes are operated. We discuss the question of which proportion of the amount of waste currently generated is due to thermodynamic necessity and which proportion is due to thermodynamic inefficiency.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics

KW - efficiency

KW - entropy

KW - exergy

KW - industrial metabolism

KW - joint production

KW - thermodynamics

KW - efficiency

KW - entropy

KW - exergy

KW - industrial metabolism

KW - joint production

KW - thermodynamics

KW - Economics

KW - efficiency

KW - entropy

KW - exergy

KW - industrial metabolism

KW - joint production

KW - thermodynamics

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=10744220218&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/353eb924-e027-30cf-8654-c01852626306/

U2 - 10.1162/108819803322564389

DO - 10.1162/108819803322564389

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 7

SP - 113

EP - 123

JO - Journal of Industrial Ecology

JF - Journal of Industrial Ecology

SN - 1088-1980

IS - 2

ER -