Necessity and inefficiency in the generation of waste: a thermodynamic analysis
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In: Journal of Industrial Ecology, Vol. 7, No. 2, 04.2003, p. 113-123.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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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 -