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SMED compiles and analyses environmental information

SMED (Svenska Miljöemissionsdata or Swedish Environmental Emissions Data) was founded in 2001. Its goal is to gather and develop expertise in environmental information relating to remediation in the fields of air and climate, waste, hazardous substances, noise, and measures.

SMED is a consortium consisting of IVL, Statistics Sweden, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. IVL coordinates the specialist field Air and climate.

Air and climate

SMED's specialist field Air and climate produces, calculates and compiles data on emissions to the air in Sweden, firstly for the UN through the Climate Convention (UNFCCC) and the Air Convention (CLRTAP), and secondly for the EU. The data is used in international follow-up and in UN and EU negotiations, as well as for national follow-up of environmental objectives.

The data is compiled in accordance with international guidelines, and is scrutinized by national and international experts. IVL has considerable experience of auditing other countries' emission inventories.

Each of the four participants in SMED is responsible for different emission sectors. IVL's areas of responsibility are machinery, diffuse emissions, industrial processes, product use, and parts of the sector Waste. The information is taken from a number of different sources, including government agencies, industry organizations and companies' environmental reports. IVL also contributes in the form of expertise in the production of national emission factors for e.g. energy production, industries, machinery and shipping.

In addition to the above, SMED provides expert support, e.g. for international negotiations, and produces scenarios describing how emissions can be changed in the future.

Water

SMED Water is tasked to compile, calculate and store quality-assured data – both input data and calculated, land-based load data from point and diffuse sources of nutrients, organic environmental toxins, and metals.

The data collected is used for a number of international reports, including the marine conventions HELCOM and OSPAR, the European Environment Agency (EEA), and for reporting in accordance with EU directives such as the Urban wastewater directive (91/271/EEG), the Sewage sludge directive (86/278/EEG) and the Water framework directive (2000/60/EG). The data is also used for following up national environmental quality objectives and for preparation of official statistics. On behalf of the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, SMED's experts take part in working groups in HELCOM, OSPAR and OECD/Eurostat.

IVL contributes by collecting, processing, compiling and reporting data, but also with its expertise in dumping and dredging, runoff water, small wastewater systems, C-class facilities, atmospheric deposition, and sources and dispersion of substances in the environment.

Waste

Every two years, SMED Waste compiles statistics on waste volumes produced and treated in Sweden, according to waste type, industry and treatment method. The statistics are used to follow up and evaluate measures in the field of waste, e.g. linked to the Swedish environmental quality objectives. The data is also used by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency for Sweden's reporting in accordance with the EU's waste statistics regulation 2150/2002 EC. The waste statistics are an important part of Sweden's national waste plan, and data from the waste statistics are used in various research projects.

In addition to the national waste statistics, every year SMED Waste conducts a number of development projects aimed at acquiring better data and knowledge of different waste flows, e.g. plastics, textiles, food, electronics and building materials. IVL contributes by collecting, treating, compiling, and analyzing data, but also with expertise in the field of waste, e.g. relating to

Hazardous substances

The overarching objective of the work conducted at SMED Hazardous substances is to improve public access to environmental information, so the public can more readily take part in decision-making around environmental issues. As a result, the work helps prevent and reduce emissions to and pollution of the environment. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency makes accessible Sweden's register of emissions and transfers of pollutants to the public via the database ”Utsläpp i Siffror” (Emissions in Figures).

Through SMED Hazardous substances, IVL co-workers participate in the work of producing, calculating and compiling data on emissions to the air, water, removal through wastewater treatment plants and removal of waste volumes from point and diffuse sources. And for industrial facilities, IVL compiles administrative information for each facility.

The emissions data is used by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency for Sweden's reporting in accordance with the UN's PRTR regulation under the Aarhus Convention and the EU's E-PRTR register -(2006/166/EG). The administrative data is used by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency for Sweden's reporting to the EU's register of industrial facilities, which includes facilities with a duty to report in accordance with the EU's Industrial emissions directive (2010/75/EU)  and the E-PRTR regulation. On behalf of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, via SMED Hazardous substances, IVL experts take part in relevant working groups within the UNECE, EU and OECD.