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재생 플라스틱을 적용한 휴대폰 충전기 전과정평가

Life Cycle Assessment of Mobile Phone Charger Containing Recycled Plastics

  • 투고 : 2017.10.31
  • 심사 : 2017.12.20
  • 발행 : 2017.12.31

초록

전과정평가 기법을 적용하여 재생 플라스틱을 사용한 휴대폰 충전기의 전과정 환경영향을 정량화하고, 신재 플라스틱과 재생플라스틱의 환경영향을 비교하였다. 충전기의 제조전, 제조, 유통, 사용 및 폐기를 포함하는 전과정 단계별로 자원고갈, 산성화, 부영양화, 지구온난화, 오존층고갈, 광화학산화물생성 환경영향을 분석하였다. 자원고갈 및 지구온난화 영향범주에서는 충전기의 사용단계 환경영향이 각각 94.4%, 70%를 차지하여 가장 큰 환경영향을 나타냈고, 그 외 영향범주에서는 제조전단계의 환경영향이 98% 이상을 차지하였다. 사용단계의 경우 충전기에 의해 소모되는 전력이 주요 원인이고, 제조전단계 경우 PBA (Printed Board Assembly)와 외장 Case 제조공정이 주요 원인이었다. 외장 Case에 사용되는 재생 PC (Polycarbonate)의 환경개선 효과를 정량화하기 위해 재생 PC와 신재 PC 각 1 kg 생산할 때의 환경영향을 평가하였다. 재생 PC는 신재 PC 대비 자원고갈영향은 30% 수준이며 다른 영향범주에서는 5% 미만으로 잠재적인 환경개선효과가 큰 것으로 분석되었다. 연구에 활용된 주요 데이터 및 가정에 대해 민감도 분석을 수행하였고, 총 12개 항목 분석결과 모든 항목에서 민감도는 10% 미만으로 도출되어 연구 결과의 신뢰도는 높다고 판단된다. 이 연구결과를 통해 충전기의 친환경성 개선을 위해서는 PBA의 소형/경량화 설계, 충전효율의 개선, 재생플라스틱 사용 확대가 전과정 환경영향을 줄이는데 중요한 설계 인자임을 확인하였다.

Environmental impact of a mobile phone charger containing recycled plastic was quantified using LCA and the environmental benefits from the use of recycled and virgin plastic were compared. The assessment considers potential environmental impacts across the whole life cycle of the charger including; pre-manufacturing; manufacturing; distribution; product use; and end-of-life stages and quantified six environmental impact categories; Abiotic depletion; Acidification; Eutrophication; Global warming; Ozone layer depletion; and Photochemical oxidants creation. The study showed that the environmental impacts of the use stage accounted for 94.4% and 70% in the resource depletion and global warming impact categories, respectively, and the environmental impacts of the pre - manufacturing stage accounted for more than 98% in the other impact categories. The main cause of the environmental impacts in the use stage was electricity consumed by the charger. The main cause in the pre-manufacturing stage was PBA (Printed Board Assembly) and external case manufacturing. In order to quantify the environmental benefits of recycled PC (Polycarbonate) in the exterior case, the environmental impacts of 1 kg production of recycled PC and virgin PC were evaluated. The environmental impact on the abiotic depletion of the recycled PC is estimated to be 30% compared to the virgin PC, and the impacts on the other impact categories of the recycled PC were less than 5% of the virgin plastic. Sensitivity analysis was performed for 12 items including site data and assumptions made. The sensitivity of each item was less than 10%. The results of this study confirm that designing compact and light PBA, improving charging efficiency, and use of recycled plastic are important design factors to reduce the environmental impact of a charger.

키워드

참고문헌

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