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Global material flow analysis of glass: From raw materials to end of life
Author(s) -
Westbroek Coenraad D.,
Bitting Jennifer,
Craglia Matteo,
Azevedo José M. C.,
Cullen Jonathan M.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of industrial ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.377
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1530-9290
pISSN - 1088-1980
DOI - 10.1111/jiec.13112
Subject(s) - material flow analysis , raw material , supply chain , industrial ecology , material flow , environmental science , material efficiency , efficient energy use , production (economics) , environmental economics , business , waste management , sustainability , engineering , economics , ecology , biology , electrical engineering , macroeconomics , marketing
Global glass production grew to 150 million tonnes (Mt) in 2014, equating to approximately 21 kg per person. Producing this glass is energy intensive and contributes annual CO 2 emissions of some 86Mt. An accurate map of the global glass supply chain is needed to help identify emissions mitigation options from across the supply chain, including process energy efficiency and material efficiency options. This map does not yet exist, so we address this knowledge gap by tracing the production chain from raw materials to end of life and producing a global Sankey diagram of container and flat glass making for 2014. To understand future demand for flat glass we also model the stocks of glass in vehicles and buildings. The analysis shows the relative scale of glass flows and stocks worldwide and provides a baseline for future study of the emission mitigation potential of energy and material efficiency of manufacturing with glass.