title: Environmental analysis of waste foundry sand via life cycle assessment.
abstract: The aim of this manuscript is to provide an environmental assessment of the creation and use of waste foundry sand (WFS) via an LCA in a foundry for grey cast iron. A life cycle impact assessment was carried out using SimaPro 8. This environmental analysis assessed the impact of creating waste foundry sand (WFS) in a foundry, Hronec (Slovakia, Central Europe). According to BREF, this foundry is classified as an iron foundry with a production capacity greater than 20 t/day with processes typical for grey cast iron foundries. Molten metal is poured into single-use sand moulds. We identified those factors influencing the creation and use of WFS which significantly affect the quality of the environment. The use of WFS from the production of cores in regenerated moulding mixtures with installed circuits brings marked minimisation of material and energy inputs in the processes of creating WFS and it positively influences the consumption of resources and the quality of the ecosystem. Space for lessening the impact of WFS processes upon the consumption of resources and ecosystem quality is mainly found in recycling WFS in the building sector. In the next step, it is necessary to thoroughly verify the eco-toxicological properties of not only the created WFS and other foundry waste, but mainly the building products for which this waste is used. In terms of transportation, it is important that waste is recycled at local level. The processes of creating WFS have a marked influence upon all the selected waste categories (consumption of resources, ecosystem quality, human health). By minimising material inputs into processes and the effective adjustment of production technology, a foundry can significantly lessen the impacts of processes for creating WFS upon the environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 53, Zvolen, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitterpach
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia. emilia.hroncova@umb.sk.
authors.forename: Emília
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hroncová
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ladomerský
authors.affiliation: ZLH Plus a.s, Zlievarenská 533, 976 45, Hronec, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Karol
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balco
mesh_terms: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005060:Europe; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007501:Iron; D059027:Recycling; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D018154:Slovakia
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D007501:Iron
keywords: Environment; Life cycle assessment; Production; Waste foundry sand