Abstract
In 2011, the German Association of Engineers (VDI) started working on a set of guidelines dealing with the improvement of resource efficiency. These guidelines represent a framework that defines resource efficiency and outlines proposals for the producing industry. A special guideline for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is included as well as guidelines on methodologies for evaluating resource use indicators, such as the cumulative raw material demand of products and production systems. The work on resource use indicators is still in progress. The evaluation of raw materials expenditure will include water, soil and land use. The model will include the availability of raw materials (criticality). Improving resource efficiency at the end-of-life stage is illustrated in this paper by the example of materials recovery from waste, here from residues out of municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI). With mechanical treatment valuable materials like ferrous and non-ferrous metals and secondary construction material can be extracted from MSWI bottom ash. The potential contribution on the resource efficiency is discussed.
Highlights
Resource protection and the efficient use of natural resources are some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century
Together with the price increases experienced in the energy and natural resource markets, this development is predicted to have a detrimental effect on the world’s ecologies, economies, and societies
This effect can be adjusted when imports are expressed as raw material equivalents (RME)
Summary
Resource protection and the efficient use of natural resources are some of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. More than 20 indicators and quantifiable goals were defined for the strategy’s different areas These are the economic indicators for resource conservation: “Doubling of Energy Productivity Between 1990 and 2020” and “Doubling of Natural Resource Productivity Between 1994 and 2020”. The objective was to close terminological and definitional gaps by streamlining both the terminology and the basic methods of calculating and evaluating the resource efficiency of products, processes and services The goal of this is to work out consistent sets of rules. Any evaluation of resource efficiency can only take place if the deployment of all natural resources is quantified (raw materials, energy, air, water, soils, ecosystem performance) and viewed in context. VDI 4800 Part 2 Resource Efficiency – Evaluation of Raw Materials Expenditure is being compiled for the “Raw Materials” resource group This standard will describe an assessment model for raw materials including water and soils. VDI 4800 Part 2 describes important evaluation methods for the exploitation of land and soils
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