Life cycle and End-of-Life management options in the footwear industry : A review

It is well recognized globally that the footwear industry contributes to a large waste stream throughout its life cycle. This article reviews the literature pertaining to the life cycle of footwear products and their End-of-Life (EoL) management strategies. The review discusses critical aspects of t...

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Veröffentlicht in:Waste management & research : the journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA. - 1991. - 38(2020), 6 vom: 14. Juni, Seite 599-613
1. Verfasser: Van Rensburg, Melissa L (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Nkomo, S'phumelele L, Mkhize, Ntandoyenkosi M
Format: Online-Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2020
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Waste management & research : the journal of the International Solid Wastes and Public Cleansing Association, ISWA
Schlagworte:Journal Article Review Environmental impacts footwear materials life cycle assessment pyrolysis waste management
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:It is well recognized globally that the footwear industry contributes to a large waste stream throughout its life cycle. This article reviews the literature pertaining to the life cycle of footwear products and their End-of-Life (EoL) management strategies. The review discusses critical aspects of the footwear industry, commencing with a background on the growth and consumption of footwear products across the globe. The review provides an overview of the environmental impacts of different footwear materials across their life cycles. In this regard, leather materials are given intense focus due to their poor environmental performance. The review further examines proactive and reactive approaches to footwear waste management, whilst additionally exploring the challenges facing EoL footwear recovery. Finally, pyrolysis is examined as a thermochemical treatment process with value due to its potential to recover materials from post-consumer footwear. The significant findings in this review paper are as follows: (a) leather footwear materials have the most detrimental environmental impacts across their life cycle; (b) there is limited scientific literature on thermochemical processes (particularly pyrolysis) as waste recovery options for post-consumer footwear; and (c) several challenges face the recovery of post-consumer footwear products, including inefficient reverse logistics, mixed product recycling and difficulties establishing a value recovery chain. This review paper recommends further research on pyrolysis as a potential post-consumer footwear recovery option. Exploring the viability of new avenues for footwear waste recovery is significant due to its potential to divert this waste stream from landfills and allow a progression toward a more circular economy
Beschreibung:Date Completed 02.06.2020
Date Revised 02.06.2020
published: Print-Electronic
Citation Status MEDLINE
ISSN:1096-3669
DOI:10.1177/0734242X20908938