JIE Dissertation Listing

Author: Martin Patel
Title: Closing Carbon Cycles - Carbon use for Materials in the Context of Resource efficiency and Climate Change
Institution: Utrecht University
Date: 13. December 1999
Advisor:  Prof. Dr. W. Turkenburg, Prof. Dr. L. Reh, Prof. E. Jochem & Dr. E. Worrell
Key Words: Chemical industry, non-energy use, energy resources, greenhouse gases, renewable raw materials, recycling, material flow analysis
How to Obtain: 1) from the internet:
http://pablo.ubu.ruu.nl/~proefsch/1894529/inhoud.htm
2.) Bound copies (US $ 10) by contacting:
Martin Patel
Utrecht University
Department of Science, Technology and Society (STS)
Padualaan 14, NL-3584 CH Utrecht
Phone:          +31-30 253 7634
Fax:                    +31-30 253 7601
e-mail:                m.patel@chem.uu.nl
Abstract:
Fossil fuels are used as raw materials (feedstocks) for the manufacture of synthetic organic materials, e.g. plastics, fibres, synthetic rubber, paints, solvents, fertilisers, surfactants, lubricants and bitumen. Since fossil carbon is embodied in these products they may represent a substantial source of greenhouse gas emissions. This thesis analyses the production, use and waste management of synthetic organic materials. The main research questions are to determine:
- how much the production and waste management of synthetic organic materials contribute to the release of CO2 emissions
- to what extent these emissions could be reduced in the short term by improved material management, including recycling, re-use, energy recovery and by using of biomass-derived feedstocks.
These issues are studied for Germany which accounts for one quarter of the total production of synthetic organic materials and products in Western Europe.

Follow link for "Summary and Conclusions" of this dissertation.