【Paper】
Research on the Recycling Process for Disposed Products Including the Environmental Affects of Scattered Toxics
Kaduko Nakano*, Yasuhiko Wada** and Hiroyuki Ohshima**†
* Organization for Research and Development of Innovative Science and Technology,
Kansai University（Kobe-Yamate University）
** Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kansai University
**† Mitsui Bussan Raw Materials Development Corp.
† Correspondence should be addressed to Yasuhiro Wada:
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kansai University
（3-3-35 Yamate-cho, Suita-shi, Osaka, 564-8680 Japan）

Abstract
In recycling systems used up until this point in Japan, only valuable or highly pure resources were recovered, and many low-toxicity substances were left untreated and not consistently handled. This means they were sometimes being just scattered into the environment haphazardly. Because the hazardous potential of these substances has become a source of environmental pollution, it is necessary to maintain adequate recycling systems for each and every product containing toxic substances. It is especially necessary to develop recycling systems for electronic products which often have low-toxicity substances in them.
In this paper, we proposed an analytical method which uses an LCA-base with the consideration of adverse effects from low-toxicity substances. In one case study, low-toxicity substances found in copying machines were examined with regard to the fact that these same substances were liable to become scattered into the environment. The potential strength of harmfulness was then evaluated for environmental loads relating to energy consumption. Our research concluded that recycling of plastic units for outer frames should be given priority over the recycling of units made of steel.

Key words: low-toxicity toxic substances, scattered, manager, potential strength of harmfulness, LCA