Environmental Management Systems

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Environmental Management Systems

• Amy Woodis
• Metro District

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What is an EMS?

• An organizational approach to environmental
  management
• A way to plan for and achieve environmental
  performance improvement over time
• A process, not an event
• Management that goes beyond mere compliance

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In Theory, an EMS is

• Comprehensive (all employees participate goes
  beyond regulatory compliance top-down
  bottom-up)
• Proactive (the focus is on forward thinking
  instead of reacting to command and control
  policies)
• Systematic (one system crosses all departments in
  the organization)

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Plan-Do-Check-Act Model
ISO-14001 elements
Review progress (act)
Set environmental policy develop plan (plan)
Identify correct deficiencies (check)
Implement the plan (do)
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Planning Elements Must

• Articulate an environmental policy that is
  consistent with organizational mission
• Review operations to determine which ones have
  the greatest impact on the environment
• Establish tangible goals and objectives for
  reducing/mitigating environmental impacts

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Doing Elements Must

• Implement changes to operations that support the
  organizations goals objectives
• Communicate to employees through SOPs and
  training how to help the organization reach goals
  objectives

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Checking Elements Must

• Utilize metrics to provide feedback on how well
  changes to operations are working
• Include internal auditing
• Include external auditing/third party
  verification

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Acting Elements Must

• Provide upper management review of performance
  since last review
• Make appropriate policy changes or modifications
• Set new goals objectives for next iteration

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Benefits of Developing an EMS

• Improved environmental performance and compliance
• Enhanced customer and market base (private sector
  firms)
• Reduced costs (private sector firms)
• Improved image with public, regulators, and other
  stakeholders (public sector)

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EMS Costs / Hurdles

• Internal staff time commitment
• Outside consulting fees
• Increased employee training costs
• A champion (from top mgt. - down)
• Other senior management support
• Cultural resistance to the idea, which can be a
  technically complex concept

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Who Has EMSs Now?

• Manufacturing firms (automobiles, aerospace)
• International corporations / vertically
  integrated firms (economies of scale)
• Federal government (DOD EPA as SEP or other
  enforcement activity)
• Note medium and small entities face greater EMS
  implementation difficulties due to limited budget
  and staff

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CDPHEs Environmental Leadership Program

• Offers benefits and incentives to members that go
  beyond compliance with state federal
  regulations
• 2 levels of achievement (valid for 1 year)
• Environmental Achievement Level (11
  members in 2002)
• http//www.cdphe.state.co.us/el/elp/elphom.asp

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Environmental Leadership Program Actions
Recognized

• Improving air quality
• Improving water quality
• Reducing water usage
• Reducing waste
• Reducing energy usage
• Community outreach
• P2 activities

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Environmental Leadership Program Benefits

• Use the CO Environmental Achievement Award logo
• Partnership opportunities
• Mentoring
• State-level recognition
• Networking opportunities

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National Biosolids Partnership

• Colorado participants include Metro and City of
  Greeley
• Is a voluntary initiative
• Purpose is to advance environmentally sound and
  accepted biosolids management practices
• Info at http//biosolids.policy.net

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Metros Biosolids Program

• In 2002, land applied (Class B) 24,840 dmt
• Most land application is at MetroGro farm
• Produced about 1,000 dmt of Class A compost

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Status of Metros Biosolids EMS

• Developed using NBP guidance
• Workgroup approach used participants from all
  departments (2001)
• Launch was January 2003 hired 1FTE
• Has not been audited internally or been through
  third party verification

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EMS Issues Being Addressed (or not)

• Development of SOPs
• Odors
• Transportation-related impacts
• Fugitive dust from compost operations
• Dust blowing at the farm
• Move to more Class A material

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My Summary EMS Benefits

• Development of written SOPs where none exist is
  a chance to capture, e.g., formalize
  institutional knowledge from long-term employees
  who are retiring
• Is another opportunity for stakeholder
  involvement
• EMS can provide a framework for CMOM development
  (looking beyond biosolids)

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My Summary EMS Costs

• In-house development is labor-intensive
• If not, consultants are expensive
• May require additional staff training
• EMS must be maintained in perpetuity
• Benefits tend to be intangible, e.g., goodwill
  rather than cost-savings