University of Twente Student Theses
Evaluation of the Potential of Diaper Recycling Within AEB Amsterdam
Dixhoorn, F. van (2016) Evaluation of the Potential of Diaper Recycling Within AEB Amsterdam.
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| Abstract: | This report is the product of an internship at a waste management facility in the Netherlands. As part of a national transition to a circular economy the waste stream of diapers and incontinence products was studied. Currently the waste stream is processed in the waste incinerator producing energy in the form of electricity and heat. In this paper the results of research on the diaper market are presented, including the biggest manufacturers as well as the current disposal techniques. In terms of waste the potential is in the future technologies for recycling. Three upcoming technologies for recycling diaper waste are presented and analyzed according to environmental aspects, the business case, the capacity, and technological advantages and disadvantages. Technology 1 is the furthest in recovering resources as all the material streams are recovered, while Technology 2 only looks to recover the plastic and uses the organic stream as an input for anaerobic digestion, and Technology 3 recovers the plastic and cellulose. The saved CO$_2$ emissions of Technology 2 are the highest while the risks are minimized. The main advantage of Technology 2 is also the scale of the installation. Considering that the company would be entering an entirely new market it is more realistic to start with a smaller capacity and increase it over time instead of requiring 48.000 ton of diaper waste per year. It is essential that the business cases of the three technologies are studied in more depth and evaluated according to the specific situation. |
| Item Type: | Internship Report (Master) |
| Clients: | AEB Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
| Faculty: | ET: Engineering Technology |
| Subject: | 52 mechanical engineering |
| Programme: | Sustainable Energy Technology MSc (60443) |
| Keywords: | Diaper waste recycling, circular economy |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/69892 |
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