| Financial analysis: |  |
| Environmental impact analysis: | --- |
| Waste management/P2: | |
| Environmental cost listing/database: | --- |
| Cost estimation: | --- |
| Alternative product/process comparison: | --- |
| Financial analysis: | |
| Environmental impact analysis: | --- |
| Waste management/P2: | |
| Environmental cost listing/database: | --- |
| Cost estimation: | --- |
| Alternative product/process comparison: | --- |
| Cost control | --- |
| Resource control | --- |
| Estimating control | --- |
| Schedule control | --- |
| Scope control | --- |
| Risk control | --- |
| Product | Single user | Site license | ||
| HAZMIN | $7,800 | $22,800 | ||
| LogiTrac | $2,950 | $12,950 | ||
| LogiTrac JR | $1,995 | $7,900 | ||
| MSDS SOLUTION | $995 | $5,500 | ||
| CCM | $695 | $4,000 | ||
| MSDS Image | $950 | $1,925 | ||
These are 1995 prices for single-user systems and site licenses. The company also quotes prices for five users and ten user networks and other options, which are not included here.
Data storage requirements will differ. Supported networks include different versions of Novell, Banyan Vines, and IBM Token Ring or PC network program.
Logical offers four major products: Chemical Compliance Monitor (CCM), TMS(the MSDS SOLUTION), LogiTrac, and HAZMIN. The areas covered by all the products include the following:
The Chemical Compliance Monitor (CCM) is a compilation of chemical regulatory and advisory lists and data derived from selected U.S. government, international, State, and other sources. CCM is available as a stand-alone system or as an option with TMS, LogiTrac, or HAZMIN. CCM is available either as a subscription service or as a one-time license. Features of CCM include the following:
TMS, the MSDS SOLUTION, is a menu-driven package designed for managing Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and complying with right to know requirements through electronic distribution. TMS is completely upgradable to HAZMIN. Features of TMS include the following:
LogiTrac is a material tracking system, which can be used along with TMS and CCM to track all hazardous materials and waste from purchase to disposal. When LogiTrac is linked with CCM and TMS, MSDSs can be cross-referenced with regulatory and advisory lists. All MSDS fields and text can be queried. Features of LogiTrac include the following:
HAZMIN, the Hazardous Materials Information Network, combines all the features of LogiTrac with a product review for materials management and compliance with regulations such as SARA reporting, right to know training, and OSHA's 30-year rule for record retention. HAZMIN uses three types of documents: the MSDS, Request, and Notice. MSDSs are entered into HAZMIN using a combination of predetermined fields and user-named free-form text areas. After an MSDS is loaded onto HAZMIN, a request can be made when use of a product is proposed or changed. The request is reviewed (including looking for possible substitutes-nonhazardous or less expensive), and the request is either granted or denied. A notice is written by the committee for each approved hazardous material, which is used in safety and other procedural training. The notice is the principle training document for a specific product. A status system allows currently approved materials to be distinguished from materials under review or other old information. The system can be used to generate custom reports. LOGICAL also offers modeling software (included in HAZMIN and LogiTrac) for Form R threshold and release calculations, disposal stream monitoring, flexible emission standards, and other applications. Models can be based on material/waste as a whole or on a specific component.
LogiTrac, LogiTrac JR, and the MSDS SOLUTION do not contain CCM or MSDS text. The imaging software integrates with existing Logical software and offers additional functions for using MSDS images.
None of the systems described above have any functions for project management. However, users can use them for information to analyze some material options in a qualitative manner, such as choices between different chemicals to be used. The MSDSs or the Chemical Compliance Monitor can provide information on this.
| Raw material acquisition | --- |
| Manufacturing stage | --- |
| Use/reuse/maintenance | |
| Recycle/waste management | |
Life-cycle stages covered may vary by module. The use of materials can be tracked from initial use to final disposal. These stages are not differentiated in the system. Wastestreams can be tracked back to the process or department that was responsible for generating them. Ideally, requests are reviewed prior to material acquisition and use in the manufacturing process. The actual products of any manufacturing activity cannot be tracked using the system.
All materials and outputs are not tracked. There is no quantitative linkage between the quantities and types of material used or type of production process and waste generated. Thus, users cannot simulate changes in waste quantities and costs as a result of process changes or source reduction.
| Conventional | --- |
| Potentially hidden | |
| Contingent | --- |
| External | --- |
Cost information can be entered in the text portion or incorporated in some existing cost fields. Thus, if users have information on some other cost categories, they can enter that in the text portion, but this approach does not facilitate cost control. The only types of cost fields that exist are for entering costs for manifests. Thus all hidden costs associated with compliance are not included. The Requests are designed to additionally pick up external costs associated with company image and relationship costs.
The full costs of using a material or product in a facility, including all these cost categories, cannot be estimated using the system. The costs entered cannot be collated to form a historical cost library. This feature could be useful for assisting in cost estimation for projects, because hidden cost estimates cannot be found in most (if any) commercial cost databases. However, if users do enter cost information (e.g., costs associated with tracking in LogiTrac) they may be able to export the cost information to another database or spreadsheet. This could enable them to separately maintain cost records, which can further be used in project cost estimation.
The system is not designed for cost estimation.
| Net present value (NPV) | --- |
| Payback period | --- |
| Internal rate of return (IRR) | --- |
| Benefits cost ratio | --- |
| Other | --- |
All the software systems are menu-driven. CCM allows users to search for chemicals using full or partial names, synonyms, or CAS numbers. TMS, LogiTrac, and HAZMIN have custom report-writing features. Some standard reports are already included in the system. LogiTrac allows customized tracking in terms of how closely an item will be tracked and where it is tracked to and from. Since the systems are written around a relational database (Paradox) they have the capability to export and import data from a variety of software systems.
The company provides licensed users with free maintenance and support for a period of 12 months, after which users have the option to purchase the service. The fees for most products include different numbers of days of training with additional training at a fixed price per day. Each product has a different maintenance and support fee associated with it. The support includes toll-free phone support and semi-annual software updates. CCM customers receive four updates per year. Services include a quarterly newsletter, semi-annual user-group meetings, and 24-hour emergency support. LOGICAL also undertakes requests for custom programming, MSDS loading and database maintenance, and consulting for hazardous materials management and for system implementation. The full price of any LOGICAL system can be applied to the purchase of an upgrade.
LOGICAL recognizes that material management saves a company money, but they do not give cost management as much importance. Although LOGICAL customizes systems, they do this only through special requests to LOGICAL. If users make changes in the system themselves, they can no longer receive LOGICAL's support.
The system currently has fields for only limited types of costs. Life-cycle information entered will vary according to the type of material and compliance requirements. For most cases, dynamics outside the company such as social costs will not be estimated or considered. There is no feature for maintaining historical cost records, as related to different activities and quantities and types of materials managed. The system cannot integrate with company accounting systems, which can result in managing these costs separately, rather than integrating them with other company costs. The system is not designed for, and has no modules for, project management. Like most other waste management and tracking tools, the primary objective is to facilitate compliance, not to include cost elements and detailing. However, if this area were developed, pollution prevention and other environmental initiatives would be encouraged as a result of better cost information.
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