| NEWMOA and the Massachusetts Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) for Toxics Use Reduction recently released the materials use and profitability software tool, called Energy & Materials Flow & Cost Tracker (EMFACT™) Version 1.0. EMFACT™ is designed to be used within companies for systematically tracking materials and energy use; releases, discharges, and wastes; and associated costs in ways that can create value for their business. The tool can provide a comprehensive picture of resource use and its relation to production and planning that can help improve both business and environmental performance.
EMFACT™ addresses the need and opportunity for manufacturers to more effectively implement environmental management accounting as a key tool to aid in setting P2 priorities, identifying value-added opportunities for sustainable production, and implementing materials and energy efficiency improvements. EMFACT™ can be a useful adjunct for compliance assurance, quality management, lean manufacturing, environmental management systems, productivity and resource efficiency improvements, and preventing accidents and losses.
EMFACT™'s benefits to its users are:
-Easy navigation and data management
-Connecting material inputs and all outputs, including products, wastes, and other environmental releases to estimate mass balances and flows
-Effective tracking of all material inputs, including chemicals, commodities, and fuels, and their associated costs
-Effective tracking of all wastes, wastewater discharges, and air emissions
-Automated reminders and notices about upcoming reporting and other deadlines
-Automated reports on materials use efficiency and environmental releases
-Easy transfer of data to spread sheets for further analysis and reports
The primary beneficiaries of EMFACT™ are those companies and organizations that use it to aid them in setting P2 priorities, identifying value-added opportunities for sustainable production, and implementing other materials and energy efficiency improvements. State and local environmental and technical assistance programs and private sector consultants also benefit by having the tool to help their client companies identify P2 opportunities and quantify the benefits and costs.
NEWMOA received funding from the EPA Office of Research and Development Collaborative Science and Technology Network for Sustainability to support phase 1 of EMFACT™ development. NEWMOA contracted with Sullivan International Group to develop the EMFACT™ tool and to provide training support. |
