Using an Improved Life Cycle Assessment Method for Environmental Impacts Assessment of Remediation Technologies

Abstract The urgent need to address the persisting issue of contaminated sites necessitates the exploration and implementation of effective remediation technologies. Given the diversity of contaminated sites, selecting an appropriate technology that not only achieves optimal outcomes but also minimizes environmental repercussions is crucial. To address this concern, the present study adopts the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Augmenting LCA with the “Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)” and “Techniques for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)” methods offer an improved evaluation framework. The specific focus of this investigation centers on two distinct remediation alternatives, i.e., the cement kiln collaborative disposal technology and the in-situ chemical oxidation technology, in the context of remediating a coking site. By employing the model calculation, the environmental impact values of these technologies are determined to be 0.501 and 0.499, the environmental cost of these technologies are determined to be 65.74 yuan and 66.67 yuan, and the combined impact values are determined to be 0.545 and 0.455, respectively. The results indicate that the cement kiln co-disposal technology exerts a greater environmental impact than the in-situ chemical oxidation technology, as assessed by environmental impact and cost considerations. This study contributes valuable insights towards addressing contaminated sites efficiently and sustainably.