ENVIRONMENTAL HANDOUT 5

The development of a formal ______is often the result of repetitive problems related to compliance with the law. It is important for any company to understand the exact details of which activities, products, and services are affected by the environmental legislation. In addition, managers need to understand how such law develops and where to monitor such developments on a monthly, sometimes weekly, basis. Environmental legislation and regulations are often modified periodically in line with further scientific evidence and improved monitoring technology.

This involves creating a detailed list of activities, processes, substances, products, and services that either have a significant environmental aspect to them or fall under the coverage of local, regional, or national legislation

This involves determining which legislation applies to the company’s activities, products, and/or services. There may be some legislation that applies either under special circumstances only (not during normal working operations) or perhaps only to processes above a certain size or output. Simply because a firm has a boiler (a vessel used for heating water) on-site, does not necessarily mean that every single piece of air emission legislation actually applies. As a result, a ______________ may be extremely important in the early days of the management system.

This involves matching the organization’s business processes to the regulatory requirements. Licenses, permits, and consents issued by regulators often contain important information concerning environmental monitoring and sampling techniques. This will positively influence the firm’s ability to measure and manage its environmental impacts. It is also important to compare the company’s forward planning and future projections with the trends in the appropriate legislative area.

This involves understanding that the law is not a one-off process. After establishing the link between a firm’s operations with the law that applies to them, managers still need to monitor legal development relatively closely.

Firms must ensure that the site boundaries stated on the EMS are the same as the physical location of the plant/factory. ______________ also identify the owner of the site where the business operates as well as relevant information related to site plan, planning permits, storage of hazardous materials, among others

·         Firms must identify unsafe or potentially harmful elements on site. Planning authorities and local emergency services must be notified of the presence or use of hazardous substances in company operations. Firms must also have adequate and appropriate information concerning the use, handling, and eventual disposal of chemicals.

Firms must identify in detail and manage any processes, operations, or substances that give rise to emissions to air (including vehicle emissions from transport). Key monitoring of such emissions is also required to meet basic legal requirements depending on where the business operates.

·         Firms must identify in detail and manage any processes, operations, or substances that give rise to discharges to water (including discharges to sewers and controlled waters). Companies must also monitor their discharges through the use of modern technology that prevents and/or treats harmful discharges to water.

·         Firms must monitor and manage any processes, operations, or substances that give rise to sound and/or vibration (including normal noise levels during late shift work and vehicles on-site). Companies must carefully examine the local regulations concerning noise in the workplace environment.