Identifying Environmental Aspects

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Identifying Environmental Aspects
EMS HQDA Leadership Training
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Objectives

• After this discussion, you should be able to
• Define an environmental aspect
• List the steps in preparing an aspects register

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Overview

• Definition
• Examples
• Building an Aspects Register

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Definition

• An environmental aspect is the part of an
  activity, product, or service that interacts with
  the environment. An aspect can be thought of as
  the actual or potential cause of an
  environmental impact.
• Aspects can be regulated or unregulated.

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Environmental Aspects

• Vehicles emit exhaust
• Water leaks from distribution system
• Fueling spills occur
• Containers not closed
• Noise from aircraft engine run-up testing
• Lights and computers left on at night
• Copier paper bleached with chlorine
• Bicycles dont emit exhaust

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More Examples

• Activity, Product, or Service
• Flying rotary wing aircraft
• Bus transportation and maintenance

• Environmental Aspect
• Jet fuel consumption
• Jet fuel storage
• Noise generation
• Gasoline consumption
• Electricity consumption
• Solid waste generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation

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Examples

• Activity, Product, or Service
• Tactical vehicle maintenance

• Environmental Aspect
• Hazardous waste generation
• Gasoline consumption
• Noise generation
• Electricity consumption
• Solid waste generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Release of volatiles

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Examples

• Activity, Product, or Service
• Post Exchange
• Dining halls

• Environmental Aspect
• Packaging
• Use of raw materials
• Fuel consumption for transport
• Solid waste generation
• Food waste generation
• Electricity consumption
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Use of ammonia in refrigeration equipment

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Examples

• Activity, Product, or Service
• Office work

• Environmental Aspect
• Electricity consumption
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Use of ozone depleting substances in air cooling
  units
• Solid waste generation
• Heavy metals in computers

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Examples

• Activity, Product, or Service
• Cleaning offices
• Playing field upkeep (golf course, softball
  field, parade ground)

• Environmental Aspect
• Hazardous material usage
• Electricity consumption
• Solid waste generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Pesticide usage
• Gasoline consumption
• Grass clipping generation

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Aspects and the EMS

• When first developing your EMS, do a
  comprehensive aspects analysis.
• ISO 14001 requires organizations to
• develop procedures to identify environmental
  aspects
• keep register of aspects up-to-date.

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Building an Aspects Register

• Review gap analysis
• Assemble list of activities, products, and
  services
• Characterize activities, products, and services
• List aspects
• Quantify aspects if possible

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Review Gap Analysis

• Installation walk-through
• MSDSs
• Environmental management plans
• Staff interviews

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List of Activities, Products, and Services

• Public Affairs office
• Commercial Activities studies
• GPRA analysis
• Training management plans
• Real property list
• NEPA reviews
• Transportation studies
• Match list with fenceline

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Characterize Activities, Products, and Services

• Process flow diagrams
• Interviews with supervisors, managers
• Hazardous material inventories
• Hazardous waste records
• Records from emergency planning, accident
  reports, emergency incidents
• Water and energy consumption records

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List Aspects

• Determine number of distinct aspects
• Dont forget about transportation and
  construction
• Sort and organize aspects, for example
• Releases to air
• Water consumption, pollution
• Land contamination
• Use of raw materials, natural resources
• Other local environmental, community issues

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Quantify Aspects

• Use data from gap analysis or aspect
  identification
• Collect additional data if available
• Use consistent units
• Document sources of data

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Summary

• Identification of environmental aspects is a key
  part of an EMS
• Aspects arise from activities, products, and
  services
• An EMS includes procedures for aspect
  identification and update