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Environmental Life Cycle Costing and Sustainability: Insights from Pollution Abatement and Resource Recovery in Wastewater Treatment

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  • Murray R. Hall
  • Anthony Priestley
  • Tim H. Muster

Abstract

The relationship between environmental life cycle costing (ELCC) and sustainability was explored using two detailed wastewater case studies. The case studies were selected to increase the tension between existing market values and values for sustainability; the first case study considered incremental change to an existing plant and the second considered a paradigm shift in wastewater treatment. Pollution control provided the greatest cost savings for the first case study and provided a “win‐win” result—meeting existing standards and saving money. However, benefits for pollution control beyond current standards were not captured, which emphasized the role of standards to internalize as well as limit the values considered in ELCC. In the second case study, the value of water had the potential to change the focus of wastewater design from pollution abatement to resource recovery. However, social acceptance of recovered water and market access for resources created large risk for investment. The ELCC was also sensitive to the discount rate which limited longer‐term considerations. Other sustainability values such as scarcity and ecological thresholds were not captured. The ELCC code of practice suggests including such costs if likely in the foreseeable future; defining these values may also clarify the role of ELCC to evaluate sustainability over the life cycle.

Suggested Citation

  • Murray R. Hall & Anthony Priestley & Tim H. Muster, 2018. "Environmental Life Cycle Costing and Sustainability: Insights from Pollution Abatement and Resource Recovery in Wastewater Treatment," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(5), pages 1127-1138, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:22:y:2018:i:5:p:1127-1138
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.12636
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    1. Wafaurahman Wafa & Amir Hamzah Sharaai & Nitanan Koshy Matthew & Sabrina Abdullah J Ho & Noor Ahmad Akhundzada, 2022. "Organizational Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (OLCSA) for a Higher Education Institution as an Organization: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-29, February.
    2. Mukhammad Jamaludin & Yao-Chuan Tsai & Hao-Ting Lin & Chi-Yung Huang & Wonjung Choi & Jiang-Gu Chen & Wu-Yang Sean, 2024. "Modeling and Control Strategies for Energy Management in a Wastewater Center: A Review on Aeration," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-24, June.
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    4. Rosalie van Zelm & Raquel de Paiva Seroa da Motta & Wan Yee Lam & Wilbert Menkveld & Eddie Broeders, 2020. "Life cycle assessment of side stream removal and recovery of nitrogen from wastewater treatment plants," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(4), pages 913-922, August.

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