Title: A proposal of recycling-oriented industrial systems

Authors: Katsundo Hitomi, Kazumasa Ohashi, Kazushige Okuda, Masaharu Ota, Kenji Yura, Hiroki Ishikura

Addresses: Centre of Manufacturing Systems Engineering, 34-32 Yoshida-nakaojicho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8313, Japan. Faculty of Education, Okayama University 3-1-1, Tsushima-Naka, Okayama 700-8530, Japan. Department of Management and Information Science, Otaru University of Commerce, 3-5-21 Midori, Otaru, Hokkaido, 047-8501, Japan. Faculty of Business, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, 558-8585, Japan. Department of Communications and Systems, University of Electrocommunications, 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-8585, Japan. Faculty of Corporate Intelligence, Osaka Gakuin University, 2-36-1, Kishibe-Minami, Suita, Osaka, 564-8511, Japan

Abstract: Green and clean environment is a watchword in the current society. Government-supported activities are directed towards making the surroundings cleaner and greener. Industries are penalised if their effect on the environment goes beyond a certain tolerable limit. The strict control measures imposed by the government and consumers have forced industries to adopt changes in their production methods to reduce pollution and refuse dumping levels. Many industries are of course tackling the problems positively by themselves. Recycling methods are practised by major industries and institutes to reduce impact on the environment. In this article, a new approach which aims at | |Recycling-Oriented Industrial Systems (or Complex)|| is proposed to prevent environmental degradation. In this new system, the reuse of industrial waste is given major attention. In order to accomplish this task more efficiently, production and waste treatment facilities must be unified to become like the circulation system of human blood. Reproduction and reuse of objects are studied meticulously along with information flow and the evaluation of the economy from the viewpoint of an engineering design. The new system intends to make the world a better, safer and cleaner place to live.

Keywords: disassembly evaluation; economy; industrial system; industrial waste; information system; LCA; manufacturing; reconditioning; recycleoriented industrial systems; recycling ratio; refurbishing; renewal; re-resource; restorable efficiency; reuse; strategy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2001.001414

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2001 Vol.3 No.3, pp.325-337

Published online: 02 Jul 2003 *

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