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Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1996

Integration of Cleaner Technology in Environmental Case Work

Integration af renere teknologi i miljøsagsbehandling
Miljørapport nr. 331, 1996, Miljøstyrelsen

In 1992 environmental protection was introduced into Danish law. In the wake of the renewed environmental legislation followed a number of questions, among other things, because a regulation through cleaner technology interferes in the internal affairs of a company. The present project aims at mapping out the companies’ and the authorities’ attitudes to cleaner technology in the environmental casework and at describing methods to the improvement of the interaction between the parties.

The report contains a description of the applied method (chapter 2), a review of cleaner technology in relation to environmental legislation (chapter 3), the result of a round of interviews (chapter 4), a round table discussion (chapter 5), a description of the final conference (chapter 6) and a summary of conclusions and ideas (chapter 7).

The results of the project can be summarised as follows:

Even though cleaner technology legally had to be included in the case administration of environmental approvals since 1992, there is still a lack of good examples. It is assumed that the authorities and the companies do not have significant knowledge on cleaner technology and that this is caused by a lack of experience in the field.

It is generally agreed that the legislation constitutes a good frame for the authorities’ guiding role, and that implementation of cleaner technology should be voluntarily, since successful work with cleaner technology depends on the company’s own dedication to the work.

Cleaner technology is not only a question of technical solutions, but also about strategies, attitudes and organisation of the environmental work. Authorities and companies should be aware of this fact.

In fact, the legal system only empowers the authority to require cleaner technology in a company’s own production process. However, through dialogue the authorities can also focus on the areas, which relate to the whole life cycle of the product, e.g. the manufacturing of raw materials, the employment phase and the disposal of the product.

The companies’ formulation of an application for environmental approval is in itself a good practice, which can prove to have a motivating effect and give the companies an insight into their own environmental situation. The authorities should attach importance to entering into dialogue with the companies in this phase, as it is the best time to motivate the companies to implement cleaner technology solutions.

The authorities’ expectations to the companies’ change of productive equipment should be brought in line with the company’s actual plans for replacement. In this connection, the formulation of plans of action for the company’s implementation of cleaner technology can be an appropriate tool.

Considering the fact that companies are different, there is a need for the authorities to adjust their authority role according to the situation. The guiding and motivating role is suitable towards the companies who have a positive attitude towards the environment and towards the group of companies who can be motivated to adapt a similar attitude. It is only appropriate to exercise control over the companies who are least motivated. It is generally agreed that the authorities should only realise investigative activities in the latter group of companies.

It is important that every single authority makes a decision on where to act and on how to set priorities for the resources in relation to the different groups of companies.

The decentralised authorities can promote the implementation of cleaner technology by playing a more pro-active role in the guiding of the companies. In this connection, the authorities could arrange information meetings, establish groups for interchange of experience, establish networks, etc.

Trade associations can play an active part in the promotion of cleaner technology by guiding and inspiring companies and by entering into voluntary agreements with the centralised authorities.

In general, both the companies and the authorities have a need for a greater knowledge on cleaner technology. This can be gained through more effective information about the results of the finished projects. Moreover, there is a need for preparing the authorities’ environment workers for a better co-operation with companies in order to make it easier to keep a process going.

Author/ institution

Lisbeth Kromann, Jens Christian Binder, Lisbeth Øhrgaard.
Nelleman, Nielsen & Rauschenberger A/S

This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Production

ISSN no. 0908-3094
ISBN no. 87-7810-617-6

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