The second law, the fourth law, recycling and limits to growth. Ayres, R. U. Ecological Economics, 29(3):473–483, 1999. 00164
Paper abstract bibtex Despite counter examples in nature, it has been argued that total recycling is impossible for an industrial society as a consequence of the second law of thermodynamics. In this paper it is shown that there is no such limitation. However, it is also shown that there must be a large stockpile of inactive materials as well as an exogenous source of exergy (e.g. from the sun) for a stable steady-state recycling system to function. The paper also discusses (briefly) some of the implications for economic growth.
@article{ayres_second_1999,
title = {The second law, the fourth law, recycling and limits to growth},
volume = {29},
url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800998000986},
abstract = {Despite counter examples in nature, it has been argued that total recycling is impossible for an industrial society as a consequence of the second law of thermodynamics. In this paper it is shown that there is no such limitation. However, it is also shown that there must be a large stockpile of inactive materials as well as an exogenous source of exergy (e.g. from the sun) for a stable steady-state recycling system to function. The paper also discusses (briefly) some of the implications for economic growth.},
number = {3},
urldate = {2016-12-15},
journal = {Ecological Economics},
author = {Ayres, Robert U.},
year = {1999},
note = {00164},
keywords = {collapse, limits-to-growth},
pages = {473--483},
file = {Ayres - 1999 - The second law, the fourth law, recycling and limi.pdf:C\:\\Users\\rsrs\\Documents\\Zotero Database\\storage\\XKHIB55R\\Ayres - 1999 - The second law, the fourth law, recycling and limi.pdf:application/pdf}
}