Application of life cycle analysis to end of life vehicles recycling process

This study aims to determine environmental aspects of an end-of-vehicle recycling process through life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Functional unit of the study was an end-of-vehicle with a weight of 1432 kg. System boundaries included transportation of the scrap car to disassembly and shredding facility, disassembly and shredding processes and transportation of the materials to recycling facilities. Data regarding process was gathered from a shredding facility, literature and the libraries of the SimaPro 7.3.2. Gathered data was evaluated through CML 2 baseline 2000 methodology by the means of abiotic depletion, acidification, global warming, ozone depletion, human toxicity, fresh water aquatic ecotoxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, terrestrial ecotoxicity and photochemical oxidation. According to results, transportation and diesel consumption are the important factors for ELV recycling. It is thought that decreasing of diesel consumption and selection of closest sites to material recycling facilities for disassembly and shredding facilities will decrease the environmental effects of ELV recycling.