Cost-benefit analysis of the recovery of carbon disulfide in the manufacturing of viscose rayon.

Constraints in the management of occupational hazards include problems with technical feasibility and costs of control measures. A pilot investigation of the effectiveness of a carbon disulfide (CS2) recovery system in the manufacturing of viscose rayon by means of cost-benefit analysis was conducted at a Shanghai viscose rayon factory. The annual amount of carbon disulfide recovered with the new system reached approximately 1 500 t in 1982. It is estimated that the company has made a net profit of 1 million yuan (about USD 500 000 at the time of the study) per year from this system (almost equal to 10% of the production value of the factory). This study documented a control measure that was both effective in reducing a hazard for workers and economically beneficial to the company.