US EPA

504436 

Journal Article 

LCA of manufacturing lead-free copper alloys 

Nakano, A; Rochman, NT; Sueyoshi, H 

2007 

Yes 

Journal of the Japan Institute of Metals/Nippon Kinzoku Gakkaishi
ISSN: 0021-4876
EISSN: 1880-6880 

71 

10 

885-889 

Japanese 

In order to promote the recycling of copper alloy scrap, we developed a new technique for removing Pb from copper alloy scrap containing 2-6 mass% Pb. However, we must evaluate quantitatively the level of environmental impact reduction that can be obtained using this new technology. In this study, a manufacturing system that produces Pb-free copper alloy products from copper alloy scrap containing Pb was assessed by means of life cycle assessment (LCA). The superiority of the new manufacturing system that uses copper alloy scrap containing Pb over the conventional one that uses virgin materials was investigated from the viewpoint of environmental impact. LCA software (JEMAI-LCA) was used to assess environmental impacts such as global warming, acidification, energy consumption and resource consumption. We assessed the raw material acquisition and casting process of Pb-free copper alloy products. The subsequent processes such as machining, assembling, transportation, use and recycling/waste processing are not taken into account in the environmental impact assessment. The results show that the conversion of the conventional system that uses virgin materials into the new one that uses copper alloy scrap containing Ph decreases the environmental impact, significantly. This is attributed to the non-utilization of virgin materials and the decrease in energy consumption during the casting process. 

life cycle assessment; recycle; lead-free copper alloys