Environmental Management System Essay, Research Paper
. ISO 14001 is a management standard, it is not a performance or product standard. The underlying purpose of ISO 14001 is that companies will improve their environmental performance by implementing ISO 14001, but there are no standards for performance or the level of improvement. It is a process for managing company activities that impact the environment.
The Environmental Management System contains the following elements:
? An environmental policy supported by top management.
? Identification of environmental aspects and significant impacts.
? Identification of legal and other requirements.
? Environmental goals, objectives, and targets that support the policy.
? An environmental management program.
? Definition of roles, responsibilities, and authorities.
? Training and awareness procedures.
? Process for communication of the EMS to all interested parties.
? Document and operational control procedures.
? Procedures for emergency response.
? Procedures for monitoring and measuring operations that can have a significant impact on the environment.
? Procedures to correct nonconformance.
? Record management procedures.
? A program for auditing and corrective action.
? Procedures for management review.
There are two phases to establishing an ISO 14000 EMS: creating the EMS and getting registered
1. Create an EMS
1. Establish a project committee responsible for learning about ISO 14000 and managing the creation of the EMS.
2. Project committee prepares a briefing for top management describing ISO 14000, the EMS, registration, costs, and benefits.
3. Top management commits to the EMS process.
4. Perform a gap analysis to determine how well the organization meets the ISO 14000 requirements and what it will take to meet them.
5. Present results of gap analysis to management and receive approval for continuation of the process.
6. Project committee prepares a draft environmental policy with top managment participation.
Project committee then:
? Designs a procedure to identify the environmental aspects of the operation.
? Identifies environmental aspects and impacts.
? Designs a procedure to identify legal and other requirements of the organization.
? Identifies legal and other requirements.
? Creates environmental objectives and targets for each relevant function and level in the organization.
? Establishes a program for achieving targets and objectives.
7. Present EMS to top management for approval.
8. Top management accepts EMS.
9. Policy and EMS are implemented and an audit function is established.
10. A final gap analysis is performed to determine if the organization is ready for a registration audit.
Organization applies for certification by outside auditors.
2. Get Registered
Organizations are registered by outside auditors or “registrars” as meeting the ISO 14000 standard. The registration can be for a specific company site, for several sites, or for the entire company. Very specific attributes of an EMS are specified in the 14001 standard. The steps in the registration process are:
? Establish the scope of the registration. This can be done internally or with the help of outside auditors.
? Apply for registration. This is a written application to the registration body.
? Review documents about the organization’s EMS and submit them to the registration body.
Outside auditors perform full assessment.
? Registration is granted by the certification body based on the auditor’s findings. An organization will receive one of three designations: Approval, Conditional or Provisional Approval, Disapproval. When a company is registered it receives a certificate and is listed in a certification register.
? Ongoing activities are then required to maintain the registration. These include:
A. Monitoring and measuring the EMS
B. Investigating and handling nonconformances
C. Implementing corrective action and preventive action
D. Maintaining environmental records
E. Establishing and maintaining an ISO 14000 audit program.
Mini-Cases
Rockwell Automation; Twinsburg, Ohio.
The Twinsburg plant became one of the first registrants in the U.S. to ISO 14001. According the Roger Hartel, “certification sends a message to the company’s stockholders, customers, and employees. Being an exemplary environmental citizen is absolutely of critical importance to all these populations and to international business as well.” ISO 14000 and EMS have contributed to a continuing reduction of energy consumption and waste production. Recycling reduces material sent to landfills by about 150,000 pounds a year.
Plasticolor; Ashtabula, Ohio.
Registered to ISO 14001 in October, 1996. According to Don Herndon, they believe that a well-documented, efficient EMS provides a proactive approach for managing environmental activities. They are not just reacting to environmental problems, but “fix” them before they occur. This greater effectiveness helps reduce costs.
Xerox Corporation
Site recycling programs, including the conversion of solid waste to useable energy through incineration, saved Xerox over $12 million in 1995.
Xerox implemented a plastic recycling program. High grade plastic panels from returned Xerox products are collected, sorted, disassembled and ground for reprocessing. The plastic is then used to manufacture Xerox products or is sold on the open market. The program has already diverted 250 tons of plastic from landfill in Monroe County and 1996 estimates project 500 tons diverted with $100,000 in savings to Xerox.
3M
In 1990, 3M began a major waste reduction effort. By 3M definition, waste is what remains after raw materials are converted to products and by-products. During 1993, resource recovery activities in the U.S. recovered and sold almost 199 million pounds of paper, plastics, solvents, metals, and other by-products.
Since 1989, 3M realized more than $156 million by reclaiming and finding buyers for manufacturing waste. For example, employees at a 3M plant in Brazil developed a waste reduction program and sold $150,000 in waste materials and reduced waste disposal costs by $90,000.
3M’s technical employees have conceived and implemented 4,590 pollution solutions under the 3P program. For example, a resin spray booth had been annually producing about 500,000 pounds of overspray that required special incineration disposal. New equipment was installed to eliminate excessive overspray. The new design reduced the amount of resin used, saving more that $125,000 a year, on a $45,000 investment in
equipment.
IBM
1995 energy conservation activities saved $15.1 million, reducing electricity use by 226 million kilowatt hours. These were achieved through such efforts as energy conservation in manufacturing processes (Vimercate, Italy), installation of a condenser tube cleaning system for refrigeration machines (Mainz, Germany), and upgrading HVAC, lighting, and chilled water system controls along with systematic testing and repairs of an extensive steam trap system (Endicott, USA).
The IBM site in Austin, Texas, produced financial and social benefits by implementing a project that reuses high-quality rinse water in existing cooling systems. 1995 savings for the city were $103,000 with a rebate of $30,000 to IBM. 1996 savings to the city are estimated at $179,000. Recycling for sites in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut produced social benefits by recycling 1,669 tons of commodities in 1995. This equates to the conservation of 28,373 trees, 4,172 barrels of oil, 6.8 million kilowatts of electricity, 11.6 million gallons of water, or 6,676 cubic yards of landfill space. Another social benefit in 1995 was the avoidance of 17,000 tons of hazardous waste from production processes.
A new process for manufacturing ceramic substrates replaced methanol with deionized water. The estimated impact is a savings of $739,000 for every 100,000 pounds of glass frit, a raw material, used in production, a reduction in methanol emissions of 6,000 pounds, and improved cycle time of 30%.
Copley Square Hotel
A prominent hotel, it created an aggressive environmental program that provides a foundation for ISO 14001 registration. The hotel is an historic one with an upscale clientele. Their aggressive approach to reducing their impact on the environment helped them identify many ongoing benefits. The major benefit areas were: recycling, energy use reduction, and water use reduction. The following are the major actions and their results:
Recycling:
Energy Use Reduction:
o Energy efficient lighting was installed in public areas which are light 24 hours per day. 60 watt incandescent corridor ceiling lights were replaced 15 watt compact fluorescent lights: savings equal $3,622 annually plus 90% reduction in labor costs. 90 watt incandescent lights in table lamps in the lobby and elevator landings were replaced with 22 watt compact fluorescent lights: savings equal $1,540 annually and reduced labor costs. 30 watt exit sign lights were replaced with 1.8 watt LED exit signs: savings equal $1,179 annually.
o Install compact fluorescent bulbs in guest room table lamps and hanging lamps: predicted payback equal 1.81 years.
o Install compact fluorescent bulbs in back areas which are lit 24 hours: savings equal to $59.57 per bulb.
o Remind employees to turn off all energy using devices that are not being used: no estimate of savings.
Water Use Reduction:
o Installing toilets with 1.5 gallon capacity, replacing ones with 3.5 gallon capacity will save $3,276 and 430,000 gallons annually.
o Showerheads of greater efficiency will save $6,546 and 859,000 gallons annually.
o Guest have been offered the option of reusing their towels and linens when staying more than one night. Projected savings are $4,000 annually.
Comments
This case includes savings that are well known and some that are innovative. Some of the reasons the program has been successful are:
o Everyone in the hotel participates in the program and can contribute from within their job responsibilities. Thus, the power of each individual to contribute in a positive way is harnessed.
o Small savings are as important as big ones. This recognizes that small savings add up and creates a culture that values contributions at all levels of the organization and of any size. The cumulative effect of many small acts of environmental impact reduction may not be quantifiable, but it may be significant.
Carter Holt Harvey Tissue is a pulp and paper manufacturing company in New Zealand which certified under ISO 14001.
For the last 10 years we have been working at continual (environmental) improvement. We established back in 1984 a programme of water reduction and progressively reduced usage a bit at a time. The consequence is that now we have reduced water usage by 55% since that time and plan to be down by 60% by 2000. This has resulted in considerable cost savings from:
? reduced fibre loss at market value of pulp (50% less)
? energy savings (15% less)
? water costs (55% less)
? less waste fibre disposal costs (50% less)
? increased productivity on the paper machines from more consistent back water characteristics
? less chemical usage due to less loss in the waste water.
We have been reduced solid waste that goes to land fill by over 30%. Our plan is for a zero waste to land fill. Even if this is not fully realized, the effect of this will be to ensure that we probably will never need to obtain another land fill site. The cost saving of not having to do that is huge and runs into several millions, not to mention the PR benefits.
We are also going to land treatment, irrigation, which is expected to have benefits in afforestation by reducing stress from drought conditions and by replacing nutrients in the soil. It is expected that the trees will grow more uniformly through having a steady water supply. This is peculiar to our volcanic ash soil. We treat the sewage from the local town through our effluent treatment plant and that benefits the community and gives us nutrients, thereby reducing impact on the environment. It also saves us having to add nutrients to our treatment plant with a consequential cost saving.
ISO 14001 just documented the procedures we already had in place, so on its own it is not responsible for any savings. In the future however, it may result in considerable savings by reducing the cost of obtaining discharge permits and enabling the company to obtain longer term permits. It may also reduce the costs of obtaining permits because there could be less opposition to any permit sought and hence less legal procedures to be pursued. These cost savings are seen as being quite large long term.
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The guiding principle of Welcomgroup are ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’.
ITC recognises its responsibilities towards maintaining a greener and a healthier environment. In this regard, WelcomEnviron, a multifaceted environment programme was started in order to propagate environmental causes in the cities where Welcomgroup’s hotels are located. Each hotel has its own programme, encompassing local participation, creating awareness among employees and internal conservation through energy-saving gadgets and environment-friendly materials. In fact, New Delhi’s Maurya Sheraton was the first hotel to use landscaping as an element of environment deisgn, install solar heating and take measures to conserve and recycle water. While faucets and taps are automatic, hotel guests too are encouraged to save water and power whenever possible. It was the first hotel in the country to install an effluent treatment plant through which waste water is treated and used for the hotel gardens. In 1993, American Express and the International Hotel Association presented the Diploma of Excellence to Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton Hotel and Towers for its significant contribution towards finding pollution solutions.
The Welcomgroup Maurya Sheraton Hotel & Towers is the first and only hotel in India, and perhaps even in Asia to set up a core group called WELCOMENVIRON, with the aim of channelising its efforts in tackling environment issues. Step by step, beginning with greening the environment, tacking measures to reduce and prevent the generation of waste, recycling it and disposing it of safely. The Maurya has been the pioneer in environmental conservation and protection in the hospitality industry.
The main objective was to evolve perspectives on environmental protection. The management worked towards formulation of environmentally sound development, strategies, management practices, generate civic responsibility and undertake such projects to generate Environment Protection Awareness. All projects are planned and executed with the resources available with the management.
The main initiatives carried out by the hotel are:
Conservation of electricity and Energy
? Infra red sensors installed in all rooms.
? Photocells for garden and perimeter pathway lights.
? Timer operated lights for corridors.
? Replacement of conventional ballast by electronic ballast.
? PL lamps in place of conventional lamps wherever possible.
? Electronic individual transformers for 50watt-12V halogen lamps.
? Installation of heat reclaim machine with ESP facilities for better air conditioning at a minimum cost.
? Timer operated fresh air units for electricity consumption.
? Optimum defrosting systems for cold storage’s and deep freezers.
In the area of Fuel
? Utilisation of flash steam for generating hot water.
? PID controller for round the clock intelligent hot water control.
? Co-generation – generating steam from waste heat to run airconditioners using absorption technologies.
? Pre-heating of cool air to the boiler from generator room.
? Usage of fuel additives in fuel oil for total combustion.
? Usage of energy efficient insulation material Hysil has provided for sweat free tandoors in Bukhara.
? Partial hot water generation by Heat Reclaim Machine at zero cost.
In the area of Water
? An Effluent Treatment Plant to recycle the water of the kitchen and laundry has been set-up.
? Recycled water used for water bodies and horticulture.
? Installation of pressure reducing valves.
? Setting up of Submersible Pumps for all borewells.
? Auto Flushing System for all public areas.
Cooking Oil
? Cooking oil is recycled to manufacture soap/detergents.
Air Quality
? Ozonisers installed in guest rooms and offices.
? Installation of Wet Scrubbers whereby the exhaust of generators, boilers and kitchens are treated by passing through pollution control equipment so as to ensure that it is well within the prescribed limits of the Pollution Board.
Miscellaneous
? Setting up of Hygiene Kiosks in the kitchens for germ free ultrasonic cleaning of hands and to ensure optimum usage of water.
? Plastic laundry bags and carry away bags replaced with cloth and recycled/agri-waste paper bags respectively.
? A Green Brigade which looks after the horticultural aspects of environment by creating a `green corner’ in the lobby with environmental messages, horticultural layouts and water bodies near pollution points.
? Environment protection awareness booklet placed in each guest room to spread the message.
? A Welcomenviron newsletter which contains `Happenings’ also placed in guest rooms.
SmithKline Beecham
The Smith Kline Beecham site in Currabinny, on the Southern shores of Cork Harbour makes a variety of ethical Pharmaceutical compounds which are then tabletted or made into injectibles in several of the SmithKline Beecham secondary plants.
The Integrated Pollution Control Licence – Application Process
The application process began in early May 1994 and ended with the lodging of the application in early July. In addition, an EIS (Environmental Impact Study) had to be completed and submitted with the IPC Application. The IPC Application documentation comprised of six substantial volumes containing extensive information on air emissions and control and abatement measures, water emissions control and abatement, noise, environmental management systems, waste minimisation. This information had to be supported with internal / external reports, maps, and drawings.
Compilation of such information in the time required (May to July) necessitated a team of five people working full time on the task. Several meetings were held with the EPA Inspectorate during the course of the Application and these were most useful in getting the document into shape for final submission.
Consultation
In addition to the technical information needed in the application, the IPC guidelines included an emphasis on consultation. We decided to adopt the most comprehensive consultation process possible. Accordingly, we met with 16 external organisations, including Cork County Council, Cork Chamber of Commerce, Ringaskiddy Residents Association ( Local Community Body) and Cork Environmental Alliance. In each case, detailed briefings were given to these organisations, including details on the IPC application, EIS and on the expansion programme The amount of information requested by these organisations varied and in each case, we responded fully.
The IPC application process was insistent on transparency at all stages and submission to the EPA on the application were invited from interested parties. The application and EIS were lodged with the Agency on the 8th.July and copies of these were also provided to the Cork Environmental Alliance at their request. All the documents provided were also made available in the Public File by the Agency.
Processing of the Application
The EPA commenced detailed examination of the IPC Application and EIS in early July 1994 and came back with requests for further information in the third week of August. As well as this, the Cork Environmental Alliance wrote to the EPA with detailed comments on the Licence Application / EIS.
There was regular contact between the EPA Inspector and the Company especially in the period coming up to the issuing of the proposed Licence which took place on the 28th, October 1994. The statutory period of 21 days for third party appeals and 28 days for appeal by the Applicant passed with no objections and SmithKline Beecham became the first company in the state to come under IPC with the formal issuing of the Licence on 6th, December 1994.
Layout of the Licence
The Licence has two main sections:
? The front section comprises of fourteen sections
? The second section has six schedules.
The sections in the front part of the Licence incorporate the following:
? Environmental Management Programme which requires plans for the following:
? Reduction of Wastes at Source.
? Improved cleaning procedures.
? Improvements in abatement systems.
? Reduction in fugitive Emissions.
? Savings in energy and material usage.
? Solvent Mass Balance for certain substances.
? Access to Information by the Public.
? Notification of Incidents.
? General Conditions for Emissions to Air, Water.
? General conditions for waste storage and Disposal.
? Toxic and Dangerous Waste Disposal.
? Noise Emission Limits
? Surface / Groundwater Emissions Monitoring.
? Reporting Schedule.
The six Schedules in the Second Part of the Licence comprise of the following:
1. Emissions to Atmosphere – Emission Limit Values.
? Atmospheric Emissions – Abatement /Treatment Control.
? Monitoring of Atmospheric Emissions.
2. Emissions to Waters – Emission Limit Values.
? Effluent Treatment Control
? Monitoring of Emissions to Waters.
3. Toxic and Dangerous Waste Disposal – Off Site.
? Other Wastes.
? Analysis of wastes for disposal off site by Landfill.
? Monitoring of Wastes before incineration on site.
4. Noise Emission Limits.
5. Surface Water Emissions Monitoring.
? Ground Water Monitoring on Site.
6. Reporting Schedule.
Working with the IPC Licence
As detailed above, the licence went into force in early December 1994 and this entailed a considerable change in the format of reporting of the monthly site environmental performance. As well as this, we had to start work on the reporting obligations on the following over a phased period of 19 months with the main part of the Programme to be completed within 12 months.
The required reports have all been submitted within the time required by the Licence. The reports which had to be furnished within three months, especially the Environmental Management Programme, imposed a considerable pressure on time and the Company enlisted the services of a Consultancy to compile this report.
Monthly Report
The report format had to be changed from that required by the Cork County Council to a format which would satisfy the IPC Licence. The major changes were in the Atmospheric emissions part of the report as additional information was required by the Agency on Incinerator Emissions as well as some atmospheric vents on site.
It was our experience that it was vital to draw up a detailed schedule of which months certain tests had to be done as some have to be done each month and others four, twice, and once per year. etc.
The agency visited site on a regular basis to sample the Treated Effluent from the Biological Plant. As well as this, several samples were taken from Incinerator and Plant atmospheric Vents. There was also a Noise survey carried out early this year.
Audits, Environmental Management Systems, Waste Minimisation.
Audits
The Agency carried out a baseline Audit in December 1995. This comprised of a one day visit by an Agency Auditor who was accompanied by the EPA Inspector normally assigned to deal with SmithKline Beecham. Compliance with the terms of the Licence was examined in detail and no non compliances were noted. The EPA team placed a strong emphasis on items such as:
? Waste Minimisation.
? Document Control
? Environmental Management Systems.
? Preventative Maintenance Systems.
They were supportive of those systems on site which were proactive and which incorporated proper planning and review techniques as they stressed that such systems serve to underpin the type of Environmental Management Systems desired by the Agency.
KEYS TO SUCCESS
? Design the ISO 14000 EMS around the culture of the company: this is crucial to success
? Success should be defined properly and in measurable terms? It should be actual achievement of progress toward sustainability or an appearance rather than meeting public and “standards” requirements? Measurements include reducing the amount or severity of needed permits, producing less waste, and reducing emissions. In the long run, pursuing measurable, actual success provides real information for real decisions, which can result in real savings. As the saying goes, if you don’t know where you are going, you can end up anywhere. SO 14000
? Reluctant managements can be persuaded that ISO 14000 is beneficial if they understand the strengths and weaknesses of your current way of doing environmental management. “Highlight the weaknesses of the existing approach, the business and financial implications of these weaknesses and how an EMS according to ISO 14000 could add value.
? Middle management and operations employees can have important input to the value of EMS and ISO 14000, but they may see it as an additional burden. So, look for ways that it benefits them to gain their support and creative input.
? “Focus in the early stages on identifying win-win initiatives in order to reinforce and deliver the bottom line opportunities for your organization. ISO 14000
? A program in Taiwan will support companies interested in ISO 14000. This concept may be a key to the success of ISO 14000 in general: support by government agencies
? Self certification may be the best first step for many companies.
The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC), the state EPA has a very aggressive program to help industries set and achieve effective pollution prevention. TNRCC will send several of their registered engineers to your plant, not as enforcement officers, but as pollution prevention consultants.The TNRCC also has a Small Business Assistance Program which offers small businesses free environmental consulting to achieve environmental compliance. The voluntary consultants are referred to as ‘enviromentors’.
? Targets and objectives: tying environmental effects to targets gives a company (and the people who work there) something to work towards and be proud of when they achieve their targets. It helps create “champions” who will do a great deal of work on their own, without cattle prodding from the EHS management. 14000
? According to SGS, an international certification organization, these have been the major areas of nonconformance to the standard found in audits: establishing procedures for identifying environmental aspects, integrating the EMS into existing management system elements, identifying appropriate operational controls, and procedures for identifying problems and taking action to eliminate them. Extra attention to these areas during EMS development and a high quality phase I or gap analysis can speed the registration process. ISO 14000
? In the policy statement, use words that can be audited and connect to significant aspects and impacts. Words such as “not”, “never”, always, and ” empowered” are inappropriate. ISO 14000
? One difference between many existing environmental programs and an ISO 14000 EMS is that the program may not be a a system integrated into all parts of the company. The ISO 14000 system spreads environmental responsibility throughout the organization.
? There are many gray areas in the ISO 14000 standard. Registrars vary in the way they interpret some things when performing audits. For example, a “major finding” means that there is an important nonconformance with ISO 14000. The nonconformances that are called major findings and what they mean to registration will vary among registrars. So, compare registrars in this area before choosing one.
? The ISO 14000 EMS is a system where each part is related to and integrated with the others. Environmental aspects, those elements of a company’s activities, products, or services that can interact with the environment, are the key to the whole system. Impacts, policy, objectives, training, emergency preparedness, procedures, and documentation must all relate to the aspects.
? Many companies are moving easily into ISO 14000 because they were already doing many of the things it requires. So, even if a company is uncertain about its timing and commitment for ISO 14000, it can identify those aspects of the standard that can benefit it now and begin phasing them in over time. This “cherry picking” can bring immediate benefits and the phased approach will minimize disruption. If the market or regulators encourage registration, progress will be faster because of this foundation. For example, Rockwell Automation’s registration effort was made easier because it was based upon environmental systems already in place. Modifications were all that was necessary.
? The biggest challenge and opportunity for success is to change the way a company thinks about the environment. It must be seen as a business issue: what benefits does the environment bring the company and its customers? This is a change from reactive, command and control thinking. Since everything comes from the environment, this change in thinking leads to protection of the sources of
business prosperity. ISO 14000
? 3M is well known for its success in reducing pollution. One key to its success is focusing on four high impact areas: product reformulation, proc