Environmental optimization in fractionating industrial wastes using cost-benefit analysis

This paper proposes that industrial waste be regarded, in a business economic sense, as having the same basic status as regular products. A basic mathematical expression for assigning industrial costs to waste is presented. The expression can be employed in conjunction with cost-benefit analysis for estimating the "true" internal costs of industrial waste. In two case studies presented, industrial waste was found to have a substantial negative impact on profits. This is seen as a possibly unavoidable consequence of industrial companies' acting in accordance with the ideal of improving the sustainability and productivity of resource use. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.