Regulations:
Environmental Management Systems Made Simple
For the past several years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has actively promoted the benefits of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) for municipal facilities. Long recognized internationally throughout the industrial sector, EMS provide municipal facilities with a proven model to achieve continual environmental performance and compliance, and increase the use of pollution prevention practices. In addition, the EPA considers EMS as injunctive relief and Supplemental Environmental Programs in enforcement settlements, which helps to offset fines.
Now, with continued encouragement, more and more U.S. municipalities are following the international industrial sector’s example in embracing EMS, particularly for water and wastewater management facilities. Using primarily the ISO 14001 International Standard, municipalities both in the U.S. and abroad are complementing their legal and regulatory requirements with an internationally proven set of standards that:
- enable improvements in overall environmental performance and compliance;
- provide a framework for using pollution prevention practices to meet EMS objectives;
- increase efficiency and potential cost savings while managing environmental obligations including reduced energy consumption, reduced water usage, and more;
- promote predictability and consistency in managing environmental obligations;
- enable more effective targeting of scarce environmental management resources; and
- enhance public posture with constituents.
Even as EMS adoption continues to gain momentum, however, municipalities can’t afford to overlook the time and resource investment involved in implementing such a system. For municipalities that are already struggling with time and budget constraints, successfully and efficiently installing an EMS can be a tricky process.
EMS Implementation, Step-By-Step
By working with the right implementation partner, municipalities can implement an EMS quickly and efficiently.
1) The first step to implementing an EMS is to develop a policy statement that includes commitments to the prevention of pollution; continual improvement of the EMS leading to improvements in overall municipal environmental conditions; and compliance with all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
2) The second step is to identify and assess the risks associated with business activities. Determine each risk on the basis of likelihood and severity. For each significant risk, the set of management controls currently in place must be reviewed for effectiveness.
3) Once the controls are reviewed, prepare an action plan to ensure that all controls are appropriate and effective. This action plan should state what must be done, who is responsible for doing it, and when. The staff assigned the task of modifying the controls is responsible for ensuring that the changes are fully implemented, including administering or completing any required training.
4) To ensure that the appropriate controls are in place, create written documentation that explains each requirement. Most controls are implemented through a process that includes:
- setting objectives;
- installing physical control systems;
- conducting training programs;
- establishing effective leadership; and,
- creating a set of written procedures, often called standard operating procedures.
Once established, the program should be reviewed annually.
Choosing the Right Implementation Partner
When selecting an EMS implementation partner, look for a company with a proven track record of customer service, technological expertise, and implementation know-how. Ask for references from former and current customers, and do your homework to find out more about the typical implementation process, and how long it takes. Most importantly, look for a company that is committed to helping its municipal customers achieve critical WATER objectives:
- Work for a healthy environmental community. Contribute and participate with local communities with particular focus on environmental education, and cooperate with legislators, regulators, and other organizations with an interest in environmental performance.
- Avoid pollution. Commit 100% to pollution prevention.
- Teamwork for continual improvement. Ensure that all employees are aware of their individual responsibilities for acting in accordance with environmental policies while providing effective information and training to encourage individuals to contribute effectively.
- Environmental laws. Comply in full with all applicable environmental laws and regulations, as well as other legal requirements.
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle to minimize waste.
With an effective EMS, municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities can achieve environmental compliance more easily than ever before. For more information about the benefits of EMS implementation, contact Lora Gartner at lgartner@att.net.