This interface allows stakeholders to create scenarios by adjusting the parameters, and then visualize the estimated availability of MDF waste over time. The interactive platform facilitates scenario analysis and supports decision-making for sustainable recycling strategies.
Indeed, the model enables users to customise several parameters:
- Geographic scope, with options currently including the World, EU27, France, Germany, and Sweden
- Forecast type, including:
- Actual (only the published data is fed into the model)
- Optimistic (30% increase in consumption by 2050)
- Conservative (3% increase in consumption by 2050)
- Pessimistic (40% decrease in consumption by 2050)
- Import-driven consumption adjustment, allows users to increase fibreboard consumption to account for imports of MDF-containing products. The adjustment range is from 0% to 200%. This option is, however, disabled when the “World” region is selected, as it would not be meaningful in that context.
- The lifespan of MDF products, is adjustable between 6 and 15 years
This configuration allows for the generation of up to 270 distinct scenarios per region. Users also have the option to download the displayed data as a CSV file.
The interface makes it very easy for someone to create a scenario or several, download the results and compare them. For example, the model predicts 14.3 Mm3 of fibreboard waste in Europe by 2030, if the optimistic forecast is used in conjunction with an additional 30% of consumption via imports and a short average lifespan of 6 years. Although the parameters were deliberately chosen to generate a lot of fibreboard waste, they are not totally unrealistic. If, on the other hand, the pessimistic forecast is combined with no additional consumption via imports and a longer 15 year lifespan then the predicted volume falls to 8.8 Mm3, which is still a lot of material.
