|
Table 1. Preliminary Economic Assessment.
| |
Cost ($US million) |
Net Return ($US million) |
| Total installed costs |
19.0 |
0.0 |
| Year 1 |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| Year 19 |
2.3 |
3.6 |
| Decomissioning costs |
0.5 |
- 0.5 |
| Discount rate |
5% |
| Net present value |
$US22.6 million |
| Payback period |
3.2 years |
| Internal rate of return |
18.1% |
|
This will be the first centralised lead acid battery recycling technology to be
operated in Udanax. Also the proposed intervention involves a relatively
unproven, but very promising process. Large amount of hazardous wastes will be
received by the plant. For these reasons the owners have decided that an
environmental technology assessment should be undertaken prior to the
environmental impact assessment. The latter is mandatory, due to the size of the
investment. They see the prior undertaking of an environmental technology
assessment as an effective way to make the initial choice on process technology
and to start a meaningful consultation with those people living in the
neighbouring residential communities.
The costs of the environmental technology assessment will, in their opinion,
be more than offset by being able to limit the more detailed environmental
impact assessment to a technology option that is considered to be
environmentally sound, acceptable to the community and economically viable. Thus
the owners initiated the assessment with the aim of determining if the proposed
technology intervention could indeed achieve these three goals.
The owners have agreed to the establishment of an assessment team comprising
an environmental scientist and a person with considerable expertise in economics
and the social sciences. The team has been provided with limited funds which can
be used to seek advice and guidance from other relevant experts, as appropriate,
and to meet the costs of two public meetings, preparation and distribution of
brochures and the operation of a telephone "hot line".
| 
