Quantifying potential profit from material recycling: a case study in brick manufacturing

Efforts to increase the use of waste materials as substitutes for virgin primary materials in industry are considered an important step toward sustainable industrial development. Some industries, however, have struggled to increase the recycling of materials for a variety of reasons. This study proposes a new approach to searching for recycling across industry boundaries. By focusing on an entire industry, the locations where economic and environmental benefit exists can be identified. This research identifies brick manufacturing facilities in the United States that are most likely to gain substantial economic benefit from the recycling of waste products. The results of this case study indicate that an industry-based approach can provide economically feasible pathways towards sustainable industrial development, especially for data rich manufacturing nations like the United States.