SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN SPENT POTLINER - AN INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY APPROACH

摘要

In the natural world, the waste from one species is the food for another species. In the same way, industrial resources can be optimized by looking at how ecological systems operate. This paper describes how the principles of "Industrial Ecology" are integrated into a safe, sustainable solution for hazardous spent potliner (SPL) from the aluminum reduction process. All of the SPL can be detoxified at the source and refined into products which retain the valuable chemicals and minerals in an accessible form. These products have genuine value in energy intensive industries and a Life Cycle Analysis shows a net environmental benefit can be achieved. This approach has been proven over 12 years and market demand is presently greater than supply.