TECHNICAL/EXECUTIVE REPORT : CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Lab No. : 1 Module : 1

Topic : Mark :
100 Date :21/12/2017
Participant Group
Course : CHE 241 Semester : 3 EH 110 3C
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No. Name Matrix No.
e
NURUL AQILAH FAKHIRA BINTI MOHD 201680024
1
ZUKRI 6
201680054
2 NUR SUHAILA
2
WAN MUHAMMAD AMIR BIN WAN MOHD 201680027
3
ALIMAN 4
Instructor 1.

Objective :
To approximate the relative environmental impact of paper and polystyrene

Abstract :

This material or containers are made of polystyrene and paper are used commonly in the
food service industry to serve food and beverages and there is an argument over which
type of container give less impact towards the environment. Even though both materials
can be recycled or reprocessed. But, the waste is either sent to landfill or incinerate. Two
different sources of data will be used to approximate the relative environmental impact of
paper and polystyrene containers. The first is a paper by Martin Hocking of the University
of Victoria. Table 1 summarizes some of the results reported by Hocking while table 2 is
some of the result by a consulting firm, Franklin Associates Ltd., which was prepared for
the Council of Waste Solutions, a group that was partially funded by plastics
manufacturers.
Data/Results Result of table 1:
/Calculation:
Paper cup Polystyrene foam cup
Mass solid waste
(kg)
Water emission 47.5 -
-Suspended solids
(kg) 40.0 0.07
-Dissolved 6.0 0
biodegradable solid 10.5 20.0
(kg)
-Organochlorines 104.00 20.07
(kg)
-Metal salts (kg)

TOTAL
Atmospheric
emission (kg)
Air emission 0.5 0
-Chlorime (kg) 0.2 0
-Chlorine dioxide 2.0 0
(kg) 10.0 0.1
-Reduced sulfides 0 42.5
(kg) 10.0 10.0
-Particulates (kg)
-Pentane (kg) 22.70 52.60
-Sulfur dioxide (kg)

TOTAL

For table 1, we chose polystyrene foam cup that will give high impact to
environment.
 Result of table 2:
Polystyrene LDPE-coated Wax-coated
foam paper paper
Mass Solid
Waste 0.00021 x 96.9 0.00029 x 0.00045 x
-Water 0.00186 x 96.9 229.1 287.9
Emission (lb) 0.00543 x 0.00710 x
-Industrial Solid 0.01203 x 96.9 229.1 287.9
Waste (lb)
-Postconsumer 0.02183 x 0.02662 x
Solid Waste (lb) 1.3663 229.1 287.9

Total (lb) 1.3663 lb x

0.453593 kg 6.3117 9.8375
Total (kg) 0.6197 kg
6.3117 lb x 9.8375 lb x
0.453593 kg 0.453593 kg
= 2.8629 kg = 4.4622 kg
Atmospheric
Emission
-Air Emission 0.00118 x 96.9 0.00181 x 0.00218 x
(lb) = 0.1143 229.1 =0.4147 287.9 =0.6276

0.1143 x 0.4147 x 0.6276 x

0.453593 kg = 0.453593 kg = 0.453593 kg =
0.0518 kg 0.1881 kg 0.2847 kg
For table 2, we chose wax coated paper that will give high impact
towards the environment.

Discussion: Based on table 1, the reasons we choose polystyrene cup that give high
impact towards the environment because the efficiency of the
polystyrene foam cup to release harmful waste materials is higher that
the paper cup. It was explained, even though the mass waste solid of
paper cup is higher than polystyrene foam cup, the air emission of
polystyrene foam cup is much higher than paper cup. Next, the
polystyrene foam cup is non-biodegradable. So, it takes longer time to
decompose and effect the environment. Furthermore, paper cup is a
biodegradable and does not give high bad impact towards the
environment. As for the recycle potential aspect, the polystyrene foam
cup has higher potential to be reuse as materials. Then, the amount of
the reprocessed waste materials will be higher and the released of
chemical substance can cause the pollution to the environment.
 Our conclusion based on table 2, we choose wax-coated paper cup that
will give high impact towards the environment. It is because the mass
solid waste and atmospheric emission of wax-coated paper cup is much
higher than the other two. Thus, it will give a huge negative impact
towards the environment.

Conclusion: By comparing the results from table 1 and table 2, the most materials
that give environmental impact is polystyrene foam cup. This is because
the mass solid waste and atmospheric emission of polystyrene foam cup
is greater than the mass solid waste and atmospheric emission of wax-
coated paper cup.

References:
Journal of Science (Science, 251:504-505, 1991)
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/251/4993/504
http://www.foamfacts.com/foam-vs-paper/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-consumer_waste
https://www.google.com/search?q=Wax-coatedpaper&oq=Wax-
coatedpaper&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.811j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=
UTF-8

Authorize Person Initial Date Stamp

Approval
Technician
Instructor
 Allocated Marks for Technical/Executive report

Criteria Full Marks

Abstract 10
Objective 10
Data/Results/Calculation 20
Discussion 30
Conclusion 10
References 10
Overall structure/organization and Quality 10
TOTAL 100

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