PARENT SESSION
82 - Life-Cycle Management and Decision Making
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM, Wednesday, 15 May 2002
Exhibition Area

(82-06) Product environmental information Systems in Austrian companies.

Windsperger, A.^*,1, Seebacher, U.², Oehme, I.², Steinlechner, S.¹, ¹ Institute for Industrial Ecology, St.Pölten, /, Austria² IFF/IFZ - Inter-university Research Centre for Technology Work and Culture, Graz, /

ABSTRACT- The goal of the project is an investigation of the actual use of product information and assessment methods and tools in Austrian companies and the identification of further potentials and the benefit for the companies. This goal is achieved on one hand by a survey done in a sample of companies, selected from those holding a certificate of EMAS or ISO, those with products with ecolabels, companies of the building sector and members of the "cluster of car producers" in Austria. The so identified about 800 companies are contacted with a questionnaire, asking for their general environmental situation, the knowledge and the application of assessment methods as well as the respective applications. In following interview visits at a part of the sample companies the further potential and the benefit for the companies by applying product assessment will be identified and evaluated in relation to the environmental characteristic of the company. On the other hand a broad survey on assessments methods and tools leads to a collection of possible methods for product application. They are characterised for their suitability for the single applications in the companies with a developed questionnaire, looking at the essential properties like scope, data requirement, included dimensions, priorities, type of the results, expenditure, qualification etc. The characterisation work is done through the questionnaire by experienced practitioners and consultants in addition to the team members. The results from the company survey and from the method-scan are consequently combined to the information which of the methods or tools suite best for the identified applications. Based on these conclusions a manual is created to support and facilitate the systematic use of product assessment methods in companies. Finally the needs for further scientific development of the single methods are discussed. The project is scheduled for 18 month, ending with the end of 2002, the paper will give an overview on the actual status in May 2002

Key words: Assessment methods, Product information system, Life-cycle aspects