Miljøvurdering og udvikling af et reolsystem
1. Resumé og summary
1.1 Resumé
Montana Møbler A/S
Nærværende arbejdsrapport om miljøvurdering og udvikling af et reolsystem bygger på de erfaringer, som Montana Møbler A/S har opnået ved at anvende UMIP-metoden, en livscyklusbaseret miljøvurderingsmetode, i deres udviklingsarbejde.
Formålet med projektet er:
 | at udvikle et reolsystem, hvor der ved råvarevalg, produktion, emballering og transport i videst muligt omfang tages hensyn til det ydre miljø. |
| at afprøve UMIP-metoden ved udvikling af et reolsystem, herunder at udpege materialer og processer, der miljømæssigt er væsentlige i forbindelse med udvinding af råmaterialer, fremstilling, brug og bortskaffelse. |
| at etablere et samarbejde med underleverandører og videncentre om udvikling af råvarer og processer, der er bedre for det ydre miljø og arbejdsmiljøet, end de hidtil anvendte. |
Arbejdsmiljø
Arbejdsmiljøet er inddraget i begrænset omfang i projektet og kun i forhold til produktionen på Montana Møbler.
Væsentlige miljøpåvirkninger
Resultater
Miljøvurderingen af en af virksomheden eksisterende reoler viser, at de væsentligste miljøpåvirkninger findes inden for miljøeffektkategorierne human toksicitet, fotosmog og persistent toksicitet. De nævnte miljøeffekter knytter sig i hovedtræk til overfladebehandlingen af reolens plademateriale samt fremstilling og overfladebehandling af de indgående stålemner. Miljøvurderingen viser samtidigt, at transport og emballeringen af reolen er af mindre betydning.
Med henblik på at illustrere niveauet for miljøbelastningen er referencereolens miljøprofil stillet op over for lignende profiler for et års forbrug af mælkekartoner, bilkørsel, et køleskab og et TV. Det fremgår herved, at miljøpåvirkningerne fra referencereolen er betydelig mindre end for bilkørsel, TV'et og køleskabet. Dette skyldes blandt andet, at bilkørsel, TV'et og køleskabet til forskel fra reolen bruger energi i brugsfasen. Bidraget fra et års forbrug af mælkekartoner er derimod mindre end referencereolens bidrag inden for effektkategorierne farligt affald, humantoksicitet, økotoksicitet, persistent toksicitet og fotosmog.
Miljøvenlig reolvariant
Montana Møbler har på baggrund af miljøvurderingen besluttet at producere og markedsføre en miljøvenlig reolvariant, der søges mærket med det nordiske miljømærke Svanen, i løbet af 1998. Reolvarianten fremstilles i limtræ af ahorn og overfladebehandles med UV hærdende lak. Derudover reduceres blandt andet mængden af stål væsentligt, da skuffeudtrækket i metal substitueres med træ. Miljøbelastningen fra reolvarianten er således væsentlig mindre end for referencereolen for blandt andet miljøeffekterne human toksicitet, persistent toksicitet, økotoksicitet og fotosmog. Reduktionen i miljøbelastningen for reolvarianten skyldes i særdeleshed ændringen af overfladebehandlingen samt en reduceret anvendelse af stål.
Forbedringer af eksisterende produkter
I forhold til de eksisterende produkter har Montana blandt andet besluttet at gennemføre følgende tiltag:
| at overgå til alternative overfladebehandlinger, der er mindre miljøbelastende, så snart der findes midler, der er teknisk – og kvalitetsmæssigt gode nok. |
| at overfladebehandlingen af bagbeklædninger samt skuffe- og bakkebunde ændres fra syrehærdende toplak til UV hærdende lak. |
| at stålemner, så vidt det er muligt, skal leve op til Svanemærkets krav til ståldele i møbler. |
| at alle plast emner på sigt ændres til alternative materialer med mindre miljøbelastning. |
| at silikonen, der indeholder stoffer, der findes på Miljøstyrelsens liste over uønskede stoffer (Miljøstyrelsen 1996), udskiftes med en co-polymer dispersionslim. |
| at lim, så vidt det er muligt, skal leve op til Svanemærkets krav for lim til møbler. |
| at der gennemføres en række automatiseringer, som reducerer mængden af ensidigt gentaget arbejde. |
| at reducere belastningen med støv ved at automatisere pudsning af emner. |
| at der foretages en miljømæssig vurdering af alle fremtidige ændringer med sigte på, at alle ændringerne skal være til det bedre. |
Påvirkning af leverandører
Derudover er det virksomhedens mål fortsat at påvirke sine leverandører til at levere og udvikle råvarer og materialer, som resulterer i så lille miljøbelastning som mulig.
Positive erfaringer med UMIP-metoden
Erfaringer med UMIP-metoden
Erfaringerne med at anvende UMIP-metoden samt det foreløbige PC værktøj (UMIP-tools) i projektet er generelt positive. Det er dog nærværende projekts erfaring, at UMIP-metoden på arbejdsmiljøområdet skal videre udvikles, førend den er velegnet til at medtage arbejdsmiljøforhold ved vurdering af produkter. Derudover er det erfaringen, at der generelt mangler relevante data for træ- og møbelbranchen.
Frugtbart samarbejde
Samarbejde med leverandører og videncentre
Der har i forbindelse med gennemførelsen af projektet været et nært og frugtbart samarbejde med Træteknik, Dansk teknologisk Institut og Instituttet for Produktudvikling samt eksisterende og potentielle leverandører omkring identificering og udvikling af processer og materialer, der er mindre miljøbelastende end de hidtil anvendte.
1.2 Summary
Montana Møbler A/S
The present report on environmental assessment and development of a shelf system is based on the experience gained by Montana Møbler A/S of their use of the UMIP method, a life cycle based environmental assessment method, in their development work.
The purpose of the project is:
| to develop a shelf system, taking the external environment into consideration to the extent possible in the choice of raw materials, production, packaging and transportation. |
| to test the EDIP (Environmental Design of lndustrial Products) method during development of a shelf system, including identification of materials and processes which in environmental terms are essential in connection with extraction of rawmaterial, production, application and disposal. |
| to establish a co-operation with sub-suppliers and knowledge centres on development of raw materials and processes which are more appropriate for the external environment and occupational health and safety than those applied so far. |
Occupational health and safety
Occupational health and safety have been taken into consideration in the project to a limited extent and only in relation to the production at Montana Møbler A/S.
Significant environmental impacts
Results
The environmental assessment of one of the company's shelves (reference shelves) indicates that the most significant environmental impacts belong to the environmental impact categories of human toxicity, photosmog and persistent toxicity. The environmental impacts mentioned above mainly relate to the surface treatment of the plate material used on the shelves and to the fabrication and surface treatment of the steel parts forming part of the shelves. At the same time, the environmental assessment establishes that transportation and packaging of the shelves are less important.
For the purpose of illustrating the level of environmental impacts, the environmental profile of the reference shelf has been compared with similar profiles for one year's consumption of milk cartons, car transportation, a refrigerator and a television set. The results are that the environmental impacts of the reference shelf are considerably less significant than those of car transportation, the TV set and the refrigerator. One of the reasons is that, unlike the shelf, car transportation, the TV set and the refrigerator use energy in the consumption phase. The impact of one year's consumption of milk cartons is, however, less significant than that of the reference shelf within the impact categories of hazardous waste, human toxicity, ecotoxicity, persistent toxicity and photosmog.
Environmental friendly variant of shelves
Based on the environmental assessment Montana Møbler A/S has decided to produce and market an environment friendly variant of shelves for which an application for the Nordic eco-label of »Svanen« will be made in 1998. This variant will be manufactured in laminated wood of maple and surface treated with UV hardening varnish. In addition, the amount of steel will be significantly reduced as the sliding device for the drawers presently made of steel will be substituted by a wooden device. Consequently, the environmental impact of this variant of shelves will be significantly lower than those of the reference shelf in terms of e.g. human toxicity, persistent toxicity, ecotoxicity and photosmog. The reduction of the environmental impact is particularly due to the change of the surface treatment and the reduced application of steel.
Improvements of existing products
ln relation to the existing products Montana Møbler A/S has decided to implement the following measures among others:
| Alternative surface treatment methods with a lower environmental impact will be adopted as soon as additives complying with technical and quality standards are available. |
| The surface treatment of back panels and bottoms of drawers and trays will be changed from acid-hardening top varnish to UV hardening varnish. |
| Steel items should, to the extent possible, comply with the requirements for steel parts applied in furniture of the Nordic eco-label. |
| All plastic items should in the long tern be substituted by alternative materials with a lower environmental impact. |
| Silicone, which contains substances on the list of undesired substances (Danish EPA 1996), will be replaced by a co-polymeric dispersion glue. |
| Glue should, to the extent possible, comply with the requirements of the Nordic eco-label for glue applied for furniture. |
| Automation reducing the extent of one-sided repeated work will be implemented. |
| The dust load will be reduced by automating the polishing of items. |
| An environmental assessment of all future changes will be carried out to check that the changes are for the better. |
Influence on suppliers
In addition, it is the company's objective to continue to influence their suppliers towards supplying and developing raw materials having as low an environmental impact as possible.
Positive experience of the EDIP method
Experience of the EDIP method
The experience of applying the EDIP method and the preliminary computer tools (EDIP tools) in the project is generally positive. However, in this project it has been experienced that the EDIP method applied in the field of occupational health and safety should be further developed to make the method suitable for inclusion of this field in the assessment of products. Moreover, it is the general impression that data on the wood and furniture industry are lacking.
Fruitful co-operations
Co-operation with suppliers and knowledge centres
In connection with the execution of the project the consultant had a close and fruitful
co-operation with the Centre for Wood Technology under the Danish Technological Institute
and the Department of Product Development at the Technical University of Denmark as well
as with existing and potential suppliers on identification and development of processes
and materials which have a less significant environmental impact than those applied so
far.