Introduction to Environmental Management Systems EMS

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Introduction to Environmental Management Systems
(EMS)
Environmental Health SafetyEnvironmental
Protection Program 2008-2009
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Whats an EMS (Environmental Management System)

• An EMS is simply a collection of activities
  undertaken to ensure that environmental issues
  are managed....An EMS is important for
• Consistently complying with environmental laws
• Improving overall environmental performance
• Addressing environmental liability from current
  or past practices
• Maximizing investment in environmental affairs
• Integration of environmental objectives into
  overall mission and business objectives
• Providing an environmentally safe workplace

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EMS Basis Components
An EMS is based on the following components
Policy

• Policy
• Planning
• Implementation
• Quality assurance/control
• Management review
• Stakeholder involvement
• Community Environmental Activity
• (Required for TCEQ or ISO 14001)

Review for Continuous Improvement
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Is an EMS Important?

• Yes....
• Identifies causes of environmental problems and
  is used to eliminate them
• Improves communication and assigns responsibility
  
• Saves money and makes good business sense
• Important to satisfy grant or other business
  terms

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Also...to get ahead of the curve....

• EPA enforcement actions on colleges and
  universities
• Example Settlement with EPA will cost Fitchburg
  State College 205,000
• UT System Environmental Advisory Committee
• Identified environmental management systems as a
  method for managing environmental affairs and
  reducing and controlling environmental risks

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Does UTHSCH Have an EMS?

• Yes....and its in the process of being
  formalized to meet Texas Commission on
  Environmental Quality (TCEQ) certification
  standards excluding third party certification
• Our current EMS consists of an environmental
  policy, ranked list of environmental aspects, and
  programs for minimizing our environmental impacts
  related to our aspects which are review by our
  Institutional Chemical Safety Committee.

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Policy Environmental Management Systems
As The University of Texas Health Science Center
at Houston (UTHSC-H) community collectively
strives for excellence in education, research,
patient care and community service, we do so with
a dedication to preserving the safety, health,
and well-being of our campus and the surrounding
environment. The UTHSC-H wishes to ensure that
our activities do not negatively impact our
surrounding environment, and is committed to
continually assess and improve our efforts to
To protect our environment, we enlist the aid of
all the members of the UTHSC-H community to help
identify areas necessitating attention and
opportunities for improvement. The UTHSC-H
Environmental Health Safety Department (EHS)
serves as the institutional catalyst for our
environmental protection activities, with the
Environmental Protection Program (EPP) providing
daily services ranging from training and effluent
release monitoring, to the collection and removal
of hazardous waste materials from research labs,
clinics, auxiliary enterprises, and facility
operations. In addition, EHS utilizes
cross-functional teams through the Institutional
Chemical Safety Committee and the Area Safety
Liaison program to help identify environmental
aspects and goals related to our products and
services. Through this active community effort,
the UTHSC-H will be able to achieve excellence
while improving the environmental quality of our
institution and its surroundings. I
encourage everyone to actively participate in
this important institutional effort.

• Educate our community about the environmental
  impacts of their activities, and the methods and
  means to minimize possible impacts
• Eliminate or minimize wastes and by-product
  materials, and substitute with less hazardous
  products where possible
• Ensure compliance with all applicable
  environmental requirements

James T. Willerson, MD 11/2/2004 President The
University of Texas Health Science Center at
Houston
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Planning - Environmental Management Systems

• An important component of EMSs are
  identification and prioritization of
  environmental aspects of an organization
• These environmental aspects are products or
  services produced or performed by an organization
  that impact our environment
• Example
• Environmental aspect Emergency Power
• Environmental category Air Pollution
• Organization unit Facilities Maintenance

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Implementation Environmental Management Systems

• Once an environmental aspect has been identified
  EHS develops policies and procedures to address
  environmental risks and compliance, and minimize
  environmental impacts
• Example Emergency Power Generation
• Goal Reduce NOx and VOC emissions that lead to
  the formation of ground level ozone, and to
  comply with the Texas Clean Air Act
• Policy Procedures Includes recording
  generator run times on a standard log sheet, and
  the utilization of less polluting natural gas
  emergency generators for new installations. EHS
  records the usage from each generator on a
  monthly basis and compares to regulatory limits.
  EHS also conducts annual training for
  maintenance personnel.
• Programs Quarterly survey of generators and
  fuel storage tanks, and annual air emissions
  survey

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Management Review Environmental Management
Systems

• Measurement process with environmental goals in
  mind
• Management should consider the need for any
  changes to the EMS and make assignments for any
  changes needed.
• Assignments should be consistent with the roles
  and responsibilities previously established.

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EMSIn a Nutshell.

• Move from identifying an interface with the
  environment, to characterizing the nature of the
  effect and estimating the degree of impact and
  developing programs to minimize environmental
  impacts and improve compliance with environmental
  regulations
• Create awareness among faculty, staff, and
  students to integrate environmental
  considerations into the research, educational,
  and service mission of the University.
• Provides a framework to set environmental goals,
  improve performance, and reduce environmental
  costs and liabilities

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Any Questions?Please Call 713-500-8100