| Front page | | Contents | | Previous | | Next |

Ranking of Industrial Products

3 The established data base

The data collected and utilised in this project were organised in a data base placed in the computer system of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. It has not been clarified yet how these data can become available to the public. The structure and the possibilities of application, extension and improvement are described briefly in the following.

3.1 The structure of the data base

The data base was established as a so-called relational data base, which means that it is possible to combine the individual data in different ways and to extend the data base by new data, dependent of the actual needs.

Data as well as calculation results are organised in a series of data base tables. At the completion of this project the data base includes the following tables:

• Positionsnummer (TariffNumber)
  
• Vareposition (CommodityTariff)
  
• Varegruppe (CommodityGroup)
  
• Miljøstoffer (EnvironmentSubstances)
  
• KodelisteMilstof (CodeListEnvSubst)
  
• Sammensat (Composed)
  
• Materiale (Material)
  
• Simuleringsoplysninger (SimulationData)
  
• DetaljeretResultat (DetailedResult)
  
• PrioriteretResultat (RankedResult)
  

In the following the contents of these data base tables are briefly described.

Positionsnummer (TariffNumber)

This table includes all the tariff numbers in Statistics Denmark‘s supply statistics (version May 1993 - cf. appendix 3). These tariff numbers are considered the allowed tariff numbers of the system. In the table it is stated whether a tariff number is related/not related to a commodity group. The table is used to control that no tariff numbers are "forgotten" in case of adjustment of the commodity group division.

Vareposition (CommodityTariff)

This table states the tariff numbers related to the commodity group (cf. appendix 4). One tariff number can only be related to one commodity group. In this way the table defines an unambiguous connection between Statistics Denmark‘s supply statistics and the division in commodity groups made in this project.

Varegruppe (CommodityGroup)

The table called "CommodityGroup" contains one record for each commodity group. This record contains the following information (cf. appendix 5):

• Number of the commodity group
  
• Name of the commodity group
  
• Total Danish production of the commodity group (tonnes/year)
  
• Total Danish consumption/supply (production + imports - exports) of the commodity group
  
• Energy consumption during the use phase/throughout the life cycle of an average product of the commodity group
  
• Weight of an average product of the commodity group (tonnes - only stated for the products with an energy consumption during their use phase)
  
• Correction factor
  
• Environmentally harmful substances indicated by their chemical abbreviations or the like (this is a text field making it possible to list the environmentally harmful substances of the commodity group in the result list - cf. appendix 1).

It should be noted that the information of the weight of an average product is used for automatic calculation of the number of products in the commodity group (on the basis of information of production and consumption/supply for the commodity group) and thus to calculate the total energy consumption during use for the commodity group.

Miljøstoffer (EnvironmentSubstances)

This table indicates the environmentally harmful substances of the commodity group registered. Each substance is defined by a 4-figure code (the "standat" code -see below). This table is used to search for specific commodity groups containing specific environmentally harmful substances. At this time the table only include selected applications of cadmium, lead, copper, nickel and phthalates (cf. section 1.6).

KodelisteMilstof (CodeListEnvSubst)

This table includes an extract of the Danish EPA‘s list of environmentally harmful substances - the so-called "standat" list. This list contains all the substances that the EPA normally focuses on in various connections. Each substance is defined by a 4-figure code and the name of the substance. The table only includes code and name of the substances (cadmium, lead, nickel, copper and phthalates) that are so far identified as included in commodity groups.

Sammensat (Composed)

This table states the materials assessed included in the commodity group. The following is stated for each material in each commodity group (cf. appendix 5):

• Contents (in %)
  
• Loss of resources (in %)
  
• Processing supplement (is processing supplement included for the material in this group? - yes/no)

It should be noted that the field "loss of resources" is only filled in, if the loss of resources of the material in question in the commodity group in question is considered different (substantially) from the average loss of resources stated for each material in the table "Material" (see below). If a figure of loss of resources has been entered in the table "Composed", the figure stated in the table "Material" is automatically used.

Materiale (Material)

This table includes information of all registered materials. For each material a record with the following information (cf. appendix 6) has been established:

• Material code (cf. table 1.5 and appendix 6)
  
• Material name (cf. table 1.5 and appendix 6)
  
• Loss of resources (in % - cf. table 1.5)
  
• Whether the material is considered renewable (yes/no - cf. table 1.5)
  
• Whether the material is recreated concurrently with its use (yes/no - cf. table 1.5 - only relevant to renewable materials)
  
• ASC value (GJ/tonne - cf. table 1.5)
  
• Whether a processing supplement has been defined (yes/no)
  
• Processing supplement (GJ/tonne - cf. table 1.5)
  
• Energy content (GJ/tonne - cf. table 1.5)
  
• Simulation number (a figure between 0 and 99)

It should be noted that it is possible to change all data of a given material (except material code and name) without spoiling the original data. For the individual material this is done by defining a special record with a simulation number different from zero (see below). This facility is built into the data base to provide the opportunity of making sensitivity calculations and to enable studies of the consequences of possible recycling initiatives etc.

Simuleringsoplysninger (SimulationData)

In this table a series of basic preconditions of each calculation is stated. The preconditions are the following:

• Quantity basis (it is stated whether the calculations are to be built on production data, supply data or mean value of production and supply
  
• Waste quantity to be combusted (the share of the waste assessed to be combusted is stated - this is important in connection with utilisation of the energy content of the material quantity ending up as loss of resources)
  
• Energy efficiency of solid waste incineration plants (it is stated on which the efficiency calculations are to be based)
  
• Simulation number (the simulation number - cf. material data - on which the calculations are to be based is stated. If no number is stated, the calculations are based on the original data. If a simulation number different from 0 is defined, the calculations are based on the material records holding this simulation number (see above). For the materials, for which there is no record with the current simulation number, the program will automatically use the original data).

DetaljeretResultat (DetailedResult)

This table is a result table showing the detailed calculation of loss of resources and energy consumption of all commodity groups. The information provided by this table corresponds to the information given in appendix 2.

PrioriteretResultat (RankedResult)

This table is a result table showing the ranking of commodity groups. The information provided by this table corresponds to the information provided in appendices 1a and 1b. It is possible to choose prints of the commodity groups based on ranking of loss of resources, energy consumption or the average position in relation to loss of resources and energy consumption (as in appendices 1a and 1b).

The data base - as it looked at the completion of this project - can be considered partly a series of table with various original data (applies to all tables except Simuleringsoplysninger (SimulationData), DetaljeretResultat (DetailedResult) and PrioriteretResultat (RankedResult)), and partly a superstructure designed for making the calculations needed in connection with this project (applies to the tables Simuleringsoplysninger (SimulationData), DetaljeretResultat (DetailedResult) and PrioriteretResultat (RankedResult)).

Additionally, the data base consists of all the documentation files, which explain the basis for the various commodity group data and material data (cf. appendices 5 and 6). These documentation files were included in the data base as WordPerfect documents and can be called up by entering the relevant commodity group number and material code respectively.

For further information of the structure of the data bases it is referred to the system description (cf. /4/) and the user‘s guide of the data base (cf. 15/).

3.2 Possibilities of application

As it appears from the preceding section the data base was designed to carry out the calculations needed in connection with this project, apart from which it was designed to make various simulations of changed calculation preconditions. As stated it is possible to adjust the following:

• Material data (loss of resources, renewability, recreation of the resource concurrently with its use, ASC value, processing supplement and energy content
  
• Share of waste for incineration plants
  
• Energy efficiency of incineration plants.

Additionally the data base provides the possibility of searching for the following:

• Commodity groups, which include environmentally harmful substances (only the environmentally harmful substances included at the time - i.e. at present only cadmium, lead, nickel, copper and phthalates).
  
• Commodity groups, which include a specific material, the contents percentage and the total quantity calculated on the basis of production as well as supply for the group.

The data base is thus considered to be useful in connection with e.g. the following types of environmental investigations/assessments:

• Mass flow analyses of selected materials
  By utilising the possibility of searching for selected materials a good overview of the types of industrial products containing the material in question and the quantity of the contents is promptly obtainable. As the same material quantity might be included in various commodity groups, the quantity information from different commodity groups cannot be immediately summarised.
  
• Eco-label assessments/promotion of environmentally more friendly industrial products The information in the data base and the calculation results of loss of resources and energy consumption provides immediately a good impression of the parameters to be focused on in connection with ecolabel assessments of selected industrial products and development of less polluting industrial products.
  
• Recycling initiatives
  On the basis of the information in the data base and the calculation results it is possible to obtain a prompt overview of the materials, for which there might be a need for recycling initiatives, as well as an overview of the consequences of specific objectives measured as quantities of the material ending up as loss of resources.

The design of the data base ensures that it can relatively easily be updated and extended. This of course provides the possibility of further applications. For example, a question of how to identify the industrial products to take measure against in order to reduce the quantity of slag from solid waste incineration plants, can be answered by the following:

• Defining a new field "A" for each material, which states the slag/ash share of the material, i.e. the part of the material that can be rediscovered as slag/ash
  
• Defining a field "B", which indicates to what extent the loss of resources is taken to the incineration plant
  
• Programming of a supplementary calculation, in which the calculated loss of resources for each material in the commodity group is multiplied by "A" and "B", added up and finally ranked on the basis of this sum.

These application possibilities are to be considered examples. No attempt was made to systematically point out all conceivable application possibilities. It should be noted that the material data collected as part of this project are assessed to be useful in many relations, e.g. in connection with assessments of cleaner technology for selected industrial products.

3.3 Possibilities of improvements/extension of the data base

The data base, as it appears at the completion of this project, should be considered the foundation stone of a data base for industrial products and materials rather than a complete data base. The fact that there is a continuous development of the composition of industrial products as well as the energy consumption for manufacture of the same mean that at intervals there will be a natural need for an update of the data of the data base, if it is to preserve its value on the long view.

Furthermore, the data base - as it appears today and with the data it includes - should be considered "the best obtainable" within the scope of this project. This means that in many ways it is possible to improve the data base and the data included.

In other connections (including projects financed by the National Council for Recycling and Less Polluting Technology) data that are more precise than the data of the data base today will no doubt be collected and accumulated. It would be natural to attempt securing that such data are entered into the data base to replace or supplement the existing data.

Also, an adjustment of the commodity group division could be imagined. It should be noted however that if the commodity group division is adjusted, an adjustment of the quantity data would also be needed (presupposes assistance from Statistics Denmark).

Other possible improvements/extensions of the data base are as follows:

• Refining of the material list
  In a series of cases (e.g. sanitary ware versus service china) it should be distinguished more detailed between materials than is the case now. Furthermore, the material list could advantageously be extended by e.g. low-value fuels and more secondary materials, especially as concerns iron, steel and metals.
  
• Refining of processing supplement
  For many materials it would be obvious to define more than one level of processing supplement. In the data base it is quite simple to operate with several levels of processing supplement, as the various levels are defined under material data, whereas in the commodity group data (the table "composed") under processing supplement the real level is stated (e.g. "1", "2" or "3") instead of a simple "yes" like now.
  
• More information of environmentally harmful substances
  Today the data base includes only information of the occurrence of a few environmentally harmful substances in industrial products. It would be natural to include all substances stated in the Standat list of the Danish EPA. On the long view it could be considered whether the Standat list meets the demand, or whether more substances should be included in this list.
  
• Recovery of the energy in the loss of resources
  The calculation of the energy in the loss of resources, which is recoverable is for some commodity groups rather imprecise, as this calculation is based on an assessment of the quantity of the loss of resources that is on average taken to solid waste incineration plants and the energy efficiency of the incineration plants. For certain commodity groups (e.g. foodstuffs) the loss of resources will never - or only partly - end up in incineration plants. For other commodity groups (e.g. pit coal) the loss of resources will be incinerated all right, but the energy utilisation will be different than in an incineration plant.

If this calculation is wanted more precise, it would be necessary to definetransportation to incineration plants and energy efficiency as parameters for both materials and commodity groups.

• Value of non-renewable resources
  As mentioned in section 1.1.2 there is in the calculation model no possibility of allowing for differences in the value of non-renewable resources. At the calculations the loss of one tonne of sand or gravel is weighted as high as the loss of a tonne of copper. It would of course be relevant to develop methods and knowledge to include these differences in the data base and the calculations that are made.

| Front page | | Contents | | Previous | | Next | | Top |