No abstract

Over the past few years there has been an emergent trend towards integrating a lean and green approach with a number of papers and books written, but most of these take an outside-in approach describing case studies from industry. This paper differs in that it takes an inside-out approach; describing a Lean and Green Business Model (L&GBM) developed within a major global engineering company. It describes the five key principles of a Lean and Green Business Model, (i) a stable value stream, (ii) identification of environmental impacts, (iii) measurement the environmental value streams, (iv) improvement of the environmental value streams and (v) continuous improvement. It further explains how the model applies a Kaizen approach for improving mass and energy flows of manufacturing environment that already possesses a basic deployment level in applying lean. Some of the key findings identified by the researchers highlight that (i) L&GBM has a different purpose than traditional Lean or Environmental Thinking, (ii) L&GBM covers the three dimensions of sustainability, (iii) L&GBM has a Lean to Green approach and (iv) L&GBM is an alternative approach to integrate environmental concerns into operations management which enhances workplace engagement in reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing processes by leveraging the lean attributes of involvement and empowerment to the environmental functions within the organization that traditionally have focused on compliance.

O lodo de fosfatização gerado no tratamento de efluentes do processo de revestimento fosfático de aço é um resíduo sólido Classe IIA - Não Inerte, geralmente disposto em aterro industrial. Uma alternativa para o tratamento de resíduos é a estabilização por solidificação em matrizes cerâmicas e à base de cimento Portland. Isto permite a reciclagem do resíduo como matéria-prima para a construção civil, diminui os custos de tratamento e disposição final e reduz áreas de aterros. O presente estudo tem como objetivo verificar a estabilização por solidificação de lodo de fosfatização em matrizes de cerâmica vermelha, empregada na produção de blocos cerâmicos de alvenaria, e em concretos de cimento Portland. Foram realizadas caracterizações dos materiais envolvidos e ensaios de lixiviação e solubilização das matrizes estudadas com e sem a incorporação do lodo. Os resultados indicam que há uma tendência à estabilização por solidificação dos parâmetros avaliados tanto na matriz cerâmica quanto na matriz de cimento Portland.

No abstract

The present study reports the industrial production of fired-clay masonry bricks containing 2.5% phosphatization sludge, the result of a research project carried out in three stages: laboratory, pilot production, and industrial production. After validation of the results of the first and second stages, the local environment authorities issued a permit to produce these bricks on industrial scale and to commercialize them. One of the requirements was the monitoring of the dimensional, mechanical and environmental performance of these bricks at 6-month intervals. This study presents the results of the monitoring of these characteristics in a 5-year period. After each sampling, bricks containing phosphate sludge were measured and submitted to compressive strength, as well to environmental analyses following the official Brazilian standards. The analyses of results of measurements and compressive strength show that the bricks manufactured with 2.5% phosphate sludge were approved for use in the construction industry. Additionally, the fired-clay bricks were classified as a non-inert material. This is not be considered an obstacle to commercializing these bricks, since conventional fired-clay bricks belong to the same class, and present higher levels of solubilized iron and aluminum, above the value defined in the national standard. The results obtained in the environmental, dimensional and mechanical analyses of fired-clay masonry bricks with phosphatization sludge demonstrate that they meet the requirements for production and commercialization.