A Solution to Waste Economy and Water Scarcity; Air Conditioning Wastewater

The waste economy, which is based on the use of wastes that are previously produced and/or produced during the production/consumption process and contain valuable substances for production and pose a significant threat to nature, humans and other living beings, as an alternative to depleting production resources, is a mandatory activity that must be implemented. The waste economy is the process of obtaining production inputs necessary to meet human needs from wastes. The aim of this study is to examine whether wastewater produced by air conditioners at zero cost can be used as an alternative water source to meet the increasing water demand. The study method is the literature review method and scientific studies on the subject, academic publications, digital resources, documents, reports, opinions and evaluations published by authorized and expert national/international persons, institutions and organizations on the subject were used as the study material. The study findings support the fact that waste is an important source of raw materials when evaluated correctly, and that the costs incurred to manage these wastes are instantly transformed into production investments (waste recycling revenue in the world in 2020 was 135 billion dollars). Similarly, the study findings support the fact that evaluating air conditioning wastewater will create significant economic value. Tons of water produced by approximately 2 billion air conditioners in the world (a 1-ton air conditioner produces 1.10 litres of wastewater per hour) and used for various purposes such as drinking and irrigation, which should be used for the economy, are wasted. According to the study findings, wastes (water, plastic, electronics, organic, etc.), which could provide significant economic gains but are not evaluated and cause great economic losses and costs, provide strong evidence that they will be a source of raw materials that meet our needs.