1 introduction - wit press...infinite resource with an endless capacity to absorb society's...

An Environmental Management Systems,

Why?

J.M. Baldasano

e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Our society, characterised by urban, industry and consumerism development,has taken too little account of and had too little knowledge of fundamentalecological relationship and principles. We have thought of nature as aninfinite resource with an endless capacity to absorb society's waste products.In many ways, we have wastefully exploited finite nature resources and rawmaterials. Mankind and the environment have been injured by emissions oftoxic or environmentally hazardous substances to the air, water and soil.Today, we are learning more and more about the problems, and we arerealising that we must reverse many trends. Restrictions on emissions andbans on substances harmful to the environment are not sufficient bythemselves. In 1987, the Brutland commission, appointed by the UN, reportedthat in order to achieve sustainable development in balance with nature,mankind would have to learn better environmental management. This requiresa whole new way of seeing things, a holistic vision of both production andconsumption. Goods produced and used must not be harmful to theenvironment.

Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 32, © 1998 WIT Press, www.witpress.com, ISSN 1743-3541

338 Environmental Engineering and Management

1 Introduction

The companies and organisations, with independence of their size, shouldmake compatible their activities with a responsible management of the naturalresources and the environment that they use and need. The challenge faced bythe companies consists of taking profit of the strategic advantages andmodernisation that the adoption of an environmental management systemoffers.

The companies that they have implanted a quality system based in theprinciple of continuous improvement (to satisfy the needs of their clients, toinvest in the training of their human resources, improvement of theirprocesses, etc.), have now, as a new high-priority objective to improve and tomaintain the ecosystems where they are located and from where they areobtaining the materials they use, both at the local and global scale.

In brief, the goal is achieve the commitment of maintaining thenatural environment in the frame of a sustainable development. Sustainabledevelopment has become the spark of the change in the forms of seeing,considering and valuing the environment (see table 1).

Table 1. Sustainable development is leading to changes in environmental policy

} J Old environmental policy New environmental policy[Based on nineteenth physics Based on chemistry and biology, complexity,i evolution, reflexivityI Management as control, optimisation, Management as ensuring resilience,j cost-effectiveness flexibility, learning\ Need to agree on the right answer Need to foster and encourage plurality and

diversity1 Macro and micro-levels are separate Macro and micro-levels are inter-dependent\ People are identical, statisticalautomata >

People are separate, different, strategizingand cognising agents

Elements of analysis are quantities, Elements of analysis are patterns,| prices ^ possibilities, alternative futures\ No real dynamics, system is atI equilibrium(Modified from Trisoglio, 1994)

System is far from equilibrium, structuresconstantly changing, growing and decaying

2 The adoption of an Environmental Management System (EMS)

The objective of an environmental management system (EMS), is to assurethat the actions of an organisation will be compatible with the nature, insteadof being an aggressor agent. The points under consideration are:


Environmental Engineering and Management 339

• All the levels in the company organisation chart should be committedin this task,

• Make a initial diagnosis of the present environmental issues(regulations, operation impacts, etc.) regarding the activity underdevelopment,

• Define a strategic plan, at short and medium term, in order to reducethe environmental impacts and to establish an EMS,

• Design a system of continued environmental assessment of theresults.

An environmental management system is based on the premise that theintegration of the ecological and economic values is the suitable formulationto increase productivity in the frame of the sustainable development. EMSallows the fulfilment these objectives in a series of procedures.

Well developed environmental policies, can reduce costs, open newmarkets and produce benefits. It is what Fussier (1997) calls "Eco-efficiency,that is, the junction of economic and ecological efficiency. In others words, abetter life quality, a better care of the environment and better business".

Another complementary concept, is Eco-design: a promising approach tosustainable production and consumption. During product development, manyopportunities exist to fully integrate environmental considerations into thedesign process. This can lead to: radical reductions in the number of parts andamounts of materials used; avoiding use of toxic materials; reducing energyconsumption during use to a minimum; and planning for re-use, recycling orfinal disposal from the very earliest life-cycle stage. This process can even gofurther, with the product becoming a service when the manufacturer'sresponsibility is extended to take-back for re-use or disposal.

Therefore, it is necessary to faces the challenge of sustainabledevelopment and to use new instruments that integrate environmental factorsin the policies of the companies and institutions, such as environmentalmanagement systems, the environmental assessment studies, the analysis ofthe life cycle, etc.

Companies should define their environmental strategy as a key factor ofmanagement by it self, interrelated with all the activities develops(commercial, purchases, production, R+D, communication, costs control,human resources, etc.).

Environmental management is composed of four elements:



• Environmental management system: for the identification, control,record, and evaluation of the environmental effects of all activities thatproduce, or they are susceptible of producing, in normal operationconditions as well as in abnormal conditions. Also, it includes the internalcommunication of the personal, their specific training, and theresponsibility assignment concretise in the environmental protection.

• The environmental behaviour assessment: indicate the reachedoperation level acquired and the efficiency of the objectives proposed. Itmust be used by the company as the element to define the activities todevelop for the continuous improvement of the environmental protection(analysis of the life cycle for products and process changes, technologicalchanges according to the better available technologies, facilities andequipment changes, application of good practice operation, etc.). Eachcompany must establish their own criteria and must define their indicatorsto measure and value the results obtained.

• The external communication: to inform the interested parties (clients,suppliers, administration, associations and other institutions related to theactivity of the company) of the environmental behaviour of the company,its standards of control, emissions, etc. The external communication

demonstrates the commitment with environment assumed by thecompany. Within this framework, the companies and other organisationsand entities should publish annually an environmental performance report,should be audited, in order to prove its good environmental managementto the society.

• The environmental costs: they should be categorised, evaluated andcontrolled to assess their importance and their incidence in theeconomical results of the company. Pollution means in the businesscontext, smaller or low operation yields, and its control improves theefficiency of the company. The value of the company is directly related tothe pollution that produces and with the costs of remediation. Theshareholders of the company will demand the improvement of the results,but at the same time the legal responsibilities of the company shouldremain covered, to avoid the possible loss of the value of the company.All the companies, even those of the services sector, produceenvironmental effects in the development of their activities and thereforehave associates environmental costs.



3 Principal advantages of an EMS

There are a number of technical, organisational, legislative and also economicbenefits or incentives, which can help a company to decide in favour of EMS.These benefits and advantages include:

• Reduced environmental risk, health risk and accident rate.

• Savings in terms of raw materials, water and energy.

• Increased productivity and product quality.

• Improved work structure, rationalisation of the work, and improvedtechnological level of the company (new equipment, new controlmethods, etc.)

• Savings in waste and emission management and treatment.

• Help in overcoming routine habits by reengineering processes,

procedures, stages, materials, etc.

• Improved public image of the company in the front of the market,society, Administrations, etc.

• Help in fulfilling environmental requirements and regulations

• Increases efficiency in the use of the natural resources

• Reduction of the use of the energetic resources

• Better conditions to obtain permits and licenses

• Better possibilities to receive help and subsidies, and funding

• Cheaper environmental insurance

• Fulfilment of the standards in an international market

• Implication of the personnel to obtain some objectives• Increase in the training of the personnel

4 EMS vs Pollution Prevention

Pollution prevention, know in USA as P2, constitutes an important componentof the EMS requirements. For example, one of the principles of action onwhich environmental policies must be based states: "measures necessary toprevent or eliminate pollution, and where this is not feasible, to reducepollutant emissions and waste generation to the minimum and to conserveresources shall be taken, taking account of possible clean technologies".Waste avoidance, recycling, and reuses are among the issues to be addressedin the program and audits.

Clean production, cleaner production, waste and emission minimisation,reduction at the source, pollution prevention, etc. These and other similar



expressions express a common idea: that practices and technologies leading toa reduction in quantity or in the potential hazard of polluting waste andemissions, generated by industrial facilities as well as those accompanyingproducts throughout their life cycle, are options that must be considered aspriorities by companies to manage the environment issues in the mostefficient way. In table 2 are indicated the relations between an EMS andpollution prevention methods.

Pollution prevention does not only consist of applying a specifictechnique or technology. It is a strategic concept of business policy thatintegrates the environment as a corporate management tool and allows acompany to maintain or improve its competitive standing in a setting ofenvironmental sustainability.

Table 2. Relations of environmental management system elements to pollutionprevention methods

\ • . . ; Input Product ; Production Product Unit Improved jntemoSubstitution Reformulation Unit Modernisation Operation and Recyclin

I , , ' Redesign Maintenance{Environmental policy , - | 7 7 " / V /I Organisation % -^\ * ; •/ ' . ; - / - % •/ ' / '• /

\ Environmental objectives * , [ 7 ~~ /% ~ ~ ~ 7 y " " /Environmental program ' / / ' / / /_Control procedures

? Monitoring and measurement ' ^ ^ ' ,..-._,..,..,..,,,,,,.,' ^\ Corrective action -, - j ""'""'"T" ^\ Emergency planning ' / ; /^ S s• Audits, p— - -- y ; /Management reviews , .- •/ / S / ^ /"

\ Documentation and records | / s " 7 s /j Training and awareness i / , </ ^ •/ / /\ Communications

5 ISO 14000

The standard ISO 14001 is a tool of great useful to design and implant anEMS, where the environmental policy is defined, environmental impacts areanalysed, and performance plans are established with objective and goals. Ithas been approved in the year 1996, after three of discussion years in theframe of the ISO, of the UE and of the CEN. The requirements established inthe standard ISO have been supported also in the European norm: ISO-EN-14001.

The companies that wish to incorporate the management principles ofthe total quality should assume environmental management as an importantpart of this strategy. It would be a great mistake not to consider the



environmental factor as one of the strategic factors within the performancepolicies of the company.

One of the principal differences between the norm ISO 9001/2/3 andISO 14001 is that the former clearly defines the scope of the system, while inthe later those not defined. The standard ISO 14001 refers to the identificationand evaluation of the environmental issues to take into account and that areproduced in the activities of the company, both in normal conditions and inabnormal conditions. It is therefore necessary to start by the identification ofthe environmental effects and to design environmental management systemfrom the results obtained.

The assessment of environmental behaviour of the company, as wellas the development of the environmental program and the externalcommunication, will depend in a large extent on the correct and effectiveidentification, record and evaluation on the environmental effects. It is also ofgreat importance the aspects related to measures and record.

The certification procedures in environmental management arecurrently under development. The demand of the market will determine thevalue of the certificates that will be issued. In practice, as it occurred with thecertification of the quality systems ISO 9001/2/3, the certification of the EMS,although not mandatory by law, can become an exigency of the market.

Another important factor is the competition between certificates willgenerate in the EU between national certificates pursuant to ISO 14001 andthe EU regulation 1836/93 of eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS). Iscompany according to its specific needs, will applied for one or the other. Acomparison between, ISO 14000, EMAS-EU and BS 7750 is show in table 3.

6 Europe's Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)

The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme was adopted by the European Unionin June 1993 (DOL 168 10.7.93). The regulation encourages industry toimprove environmental performance through management controls, audit, andpublic disclosure. EMAS participation is voluntary. But in order toparticipate, companies must first establish environmental policies, programs,and management systems. They must also conduct regular environmentalauditing and provide information on environmental performance to the public.

The number of European companies registered in the system EMASto end of the year 1997 was of more than 800. Their distribution among thedifferent European countries is shown in figure 1, where it should be noted thestrong installation of this system in Germany, with about 600 companiesregistered. Two examples of the advantages to adopt EMAS:



Sharp Electronica Espana SA: The installation of the system EM AS haspermitted to reduce in more than a 25% the energy consumption and 40%of the wastes generation and packing. The company promotes the use ofrecycled materials in their manufacture processes and it has established aselective withdrawal program in their factory. It has begun themanufacture of a television (Green TV) with a reduction of the energyconsumption of the 80% with respect to the model manufactured in the1995. Furthermore, in this television, it has been eliminated the use ofdangerous materials, its packing has been reduced and it has beendesigned so that could be recycled after their life cycle.

Kautex Iberica SA: It is dedicated to the manufacture of components forcar industry. It has recovered 100% of the plastic wastes originated duringthe transformation process, and has reduced in a 50% their inert wastes(from 36.3 kg/t to 18.5).

SwedenFinland

Norway

France

Spain

PortugalGreece

Ireland

Luxembourg

18

100 200 300 400

600

Figure 1. Number of European companies registered in the EMAS system(September 1997)



ible 3. Comparison of environmental management systems (EMS) standards

* of standard

ironmenW Review

ironmentalels/Aspectsolives and TargetironmentaJ

ttial and

mtiona* Controls

Voluntary » consensus, private-sector standard

Can apply to the wholet organisation or part of an

organisation; applicable to an org.activities, prodnct and services in

arty sector, applicable to non*industrial organisations such asgovernments agencies and non-

profit organisationsFocuses on EMS; indirect link loenvironnie«ial Improvements

m annex, but notrequired in standard

BS77$aVoluntary, national standard

Can apply m th* UK andother developed countries;can apply to the whole

organisation; applicable to allactivities and sectors;

applicable to nomndustrialorganisations such as govern.

agencies aiidHI*OFocuses on EMS, wiffi

environmental fniprovemenisemerging from the system

Policy commitment io continualimprovement of the EMS and topollution prevention; policy

iit to compliance vvitltapplicable enviroameniallegislation and voluntary

commitments

j%re#W#B: </js.

rSSBifSSpSSS

pcrfonnance and compliance wiih |* '

Suggested but nott specified^ ^^_^_ ^ _ * d"""'Wlic "< iini!meiic.''to'''"'''"continuous iinprovement ofenvironmental r>erfonnance

Audits oflhe EMS are required;monitoring and measuring of keyenvironmental characteristics are

communications mus! beconsidered* but what iscommunicated is left to

management

, r>rogfatn, and niajiagement' sy&m latist fee made available lo $

>: *h# #WW; a i iblb en vjironmenlal s

i ' statement deluding factual dEalg :1 *"~ * are required - . - - ]

Audits of the EMS arerequired; audits for

compliance or envirormmilalperfornjance are uol required;frequency of audits is a<8

specifiedOnly en\ironniental policymust fee made public; otherexternal commynications

must be considered, but whatis communicated is left to

management

^ -Annex AA.2A (guide)

t I» part C -Anmex A J.2 (guide)

ironmental Statement f

1 4.14.3 J, 4.3 2

| 4ii,4.H

4,3,3| 4.2.4

4.3.4, 4.3,5

[ 4l6.4J.t%J/4.4.24,4.3

4.5

Annex I, part A and D - ;: /J Annex 1, part B2&D! 1, ** ^

L'- ''•'-;;' ;/;; :-, , . % ^ ;y%|, ' '-* - \ Annex 1^ part A4 ' - ' 'i'/ ^ - Snex l» part AS- ~- \ |

A««e^ I, partj&S .

> Annex 1, part B4&DW :'- - , Attnex 1^ r ttt 05 - '*

Annex *, paart B6» Axliiek II 'Annex 1, pari;B,J ' > -

4.24.3

4.4

4.$4.6

4.7

4.34.94*64JI



7 Conclusions

The conclusion is very simple and applicable, both at present and in the nearfuture: "any type of organisation needs to obtain and to demonstrate a goodenvironmental behaviour". An environmental management system is the toolto do it.

References

1. Baldasano J.M. and S. Gasso (1993) The Hazardous Waste Minimization in frontof the New Challenges. I SWA 1993 Annual Conference, Jonkoping (Sweden),Setember 28-30th.

2. Cascio J, G. Woodside and Ph. Mitchell (1996) ISO 14000 Guide. The NewInternational Environmental Management Standards. McGraw-Hill, 221 pp.

3. Fussier C. (1997) Driving Eco innovation. Pitman Pub.

4. Trisoglio a. (1994) Environmental Management in a Complex World. EEMAReview, Setember, 3.


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