Based on the initiative of the Danish Agency for Development of Trade and Industry regarding the establishment of a number of joint, open know-how centres, a centre project has been launched for the period 2000-2004.
Six companies are participating in the new centre, i.e., Akzo Nobel Decorative Coatings A/S, Sophus Berendsen A/S, Brdr. Hartmann A/S, Henkel-Ecolab A/S, P. Brøste A/S and Skanska Danmark A/S. Furthermore, Danish Toxicology Centre and DHI Water & Environment, which are both technological service institutes approved by the Minister for Business and Industry, are participating together with two research institutions, i.e. Roskilde University, Department of Environment, Technology and Social Studies, and Technical University of Denmark, Institute for Product Development.
The overall objectives of the centre are:
- To promote the development of better products meeting technical quality requirements regarding health and the environment
- To develop methods that simplify and make the companies’ use of knowledge on chemical substances operational and thus form the basis for economic advantages through rational documentation and cost-savings on chemicals, energy and water
- To ensure further development of Danish competence
The specific objectives of the centre are as follows:
Optimisation of processes and product development. To develop and do research in methods for assessment of emissions and potential effects of chemicals that form part of the various stages of the product life cycles including assessments of specific production processes.
Chemicals prioritisation. To develop and do research in methods for comparative assessments of the environmental and health properties of chemicals and to develop user-friendly IT tools applicable within environmental management, environmental audits, substitution and product assessment.
Information and communication. To develop a generally applicable concept for communication of information between suppliers, producers, users, customers and authorities on the basis of the integration between product technology and respect of health and the environment.
Dissemination. To impart general results from the centre activities to Danish industry through dissemination and by marketing new qualifications and know-how in the approved technological service institutes.
For further information on KEMI, please contact Torben Madsen (tma@dhi.dk), DHI Water & Environment.