Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1997
Evaluation of the Information System for Cleaner Technology
Evaluering af informationssystemet om renere teknologi
Miljørapport nr. 368, 1997, Miljøstyrelsen
In order to promote the use of cleaner technology, the Danish Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology has since 1996 contributed to developing an information system for cleaner technology. The system is called Rentek. Due to the fact that the use of the system is still not widespread, it was decided in 1995 to launch an inquiry into the system. This project describes the evaluation of the project.
The evaluation of the information system had three main objectives:
 | To launch an inquiry into existing and potential users’ need of knowledge about cleaner technology, and to examine how far this need is met today. |
| To make an assessment of the content and form of the trade modules in the information system. |
| To make suggestions for a future version of an information system considering content and organisation. |
Rentek is only used in 10% of the municipalities in Denmark and in few counties and environmental and food controls. The existing users - who are primarily environmental case officers in the municipalities – are generally satisfied with the system regarding background knowledge and overview of the trades, detailed information about the production processes, and as a reference work in the environmental regulation of the companies. But still they lack more exhaustive and precise information about environment and cleaner technology. Moreover, the users find the information system technologically outdated with regard to hardware and software, just as the user interface is bothersome to work with.
66% of the 45 interviewed potential users had not heard about the information system. Rentek is not widespread because the decentralised authorities do not work with cleaner technology, as it could be expected from the intentions in the Environmental Protection Act. Almost 25% of the interviewed municipal case officers never work with cleaner technology and less than 50% work with cleaner technology less than once a month.
The assessment of the trade modules in the information system was that there are some critical aspects of the content. With regards to the focusing of the information system especially the following aspects are stressed:
| Focus is placed more on process technology than on cleaner technology. |
| Cleaner technology is regarded narrowly as optimising machines rather than good environmental housekeeping. |
| The information system is directed backwards primarily dealing with well-known technologies rather than technological innovations. |
| The environmental perspectives of the product life cycle are generally absent. |
The assessment of the trade modules also contains suggestions for improvement of the content, and in this connection it stresses the necessity of a better guarantee for quality. In addition, a number of specific proposals for the improvement of the structure and the user interface in the information system are given. Just as it is pointed out how the use of cross-references can be improved in a relatively simple manner.
Considering the target groups, it can be established that the content of Rentek has been too general to meet the demands of knowledge of the industry. The primary target group of Rentek is the environmental authorities and the network of the companies in a broad sense. The purpose of the information system must be to strengthen the advisory competence of these intermediary groups with regards to guiding the companies on environmental questions with emphasis on cleaner technology. The suggested changes will, however, make Rentek more interesting for the companies as a user group.
In connection with the drawing up of a future information system, two approaches are examined: the new possibilities via the Internet and also the possibilities of a closer integration of an information system in cleaner technology activities as well as in the dissemination efforts.
The development of the effort for cleaner technology in Denmark has technology been dynamic and has changed from concentrating on technical demonstration projects through diffusion by environmental management and trade consultant schemes to an increasing integration in the preventive environmental world of the companies, in environmental regulation, etc.
Strategically we therefore suggest that the information system to a higher degree is integrated into cleaner technology activities via:
| A co-ordination between the preparation and updating of trade requirements about least polluting technology |
| A connection to the trade efforts about environmental management and cleaner technology |
| A co-ordination between the product oriented environmental policy and computer tools for life-cycle assessment. |
| An inclusion of technological innovations, good environmental housekeeping, key figures, practical examples and so forth. |
| A guarantee for a general survey of project activities and centres of knowledge. |
Though the information efforts about cleaner technology have improved, it is still possible to make further progress. Therefore, it is suggested that the information system be used as a means to strengthen communication. This could be done by increasing focus on learning and communication in preference to informing users and report writing, by differentiating communication according to target groups and by establishing a common technological platform so that knowledge can be made available through various media. The participation of the users as suppliers of knowledge is a guarantee of quality.
Author/ institution
Brian Dalby Rasmussen og Arne Remmen
Institut for Samfundsudvikling og Planlægning, Aalborg Universitet
This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology
ISSN no. 0105-3094
ISBN no. 87-7810-840-3