Life Cycle Assessment of Asbestos Waste Management Scenarios: Case Study in Argentina

The aim of this research was to compare the environmental impacts of applying thermal vitrification, recycling in clinker furnace, or final disposal of asbestos in a hazardous waste landfill in a case study in Argentina. The methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to compare scenarios through a series of midpoint and endpoint indicators. Recycling asbestos in a clinker furnace was found to be the most beneficial alternative. Transport stage contributed the most to the negative impacts of the actual management system, while vitrification was the most important one in the corresponding alternate scenario. Two sensitivity analyses were performed to compare fuel consumption variables and different scopes for the system. It was observed that changing the scope of the analysis led to major modifications in the results, reversing the trend of considering recycling as the best option. However, the initial scope was considered adequate. On-site thermal treatment was environmentally comparable to the current transport stage and might be a game changer if risk of asbestos release is considered under current conditions of landfilling.