Environmental Management Systems

1. Environmental Management Systems Implementation of an EMS at a Municipal Waste Management Facility

2. Introduction • Who is RWS? • What is an EMS? • What is ISO 14001? • Why implement an EMS? • What does an EMS cost?

3. Regional Waste Systems • RWS is a quasi-municipal organization created in the 1970s by several municipalities in southern Maine for the purpose of waste management • RWS is currently made up of 21 owner municipalities and 5 municipalities that have annual contracts for waste management • RWS operates a 550-ton waste-to-energy facility, the largest recycling program in Maine, and an ash disposal facility

4. What is an EMS? An EMS is a mechanism/tool that a business or organization uses to help ensure continual improvement in managing the environmental affairs over which it has some level of control.

5. The International Organization for Standardization - ISO • ISO is an international non-governmental organization that promotes the development and implementation of voluntary international standards. ISO consists of 112 member countries, with the United States represented by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Standards are developed within ISO technical committees. • Draft versions of ISO standards are sent out for formal support and comments from ISO member countries, and through iterations, feedback is incorporated to eventually realize an agreed-upon international standard. • Over 100,000 businesses registered to ISO 9000 by 1996

6. EMS Models • EMAS (Eco-management and Audit Scheme) • BS 7750 • Responsible Care • ISO 14001

7. Development of ISO 14000 • Strategic Advisory Group on the Environment (SAGE) formed in June 1992 in advance U.N. Conference on Environmental Development held in Brazil • SAGE concluded that an EMS was a critical element in meeting future environmental needs worldwide • SAGE recommended the formation of ISO Technical Committee in 1993 to develop standards • ISO 14001 Published in Fall 1996

8. ISO 14000 Environmental Management System Structure • Environmental Management Systems (EMS) -14001, 14004 • Environmental Auditing -14010-14012 • Environmental Labeling - 14020-14024 • Environmental Performance Evaluations - 14031 • Life-Cycle Assessment - 14040-14044

9. ISO Registration and Accreditation Provide Accreditation to Who Register • The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB), a subsidiary of the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) have established the America National Accreditation Program for Registrars of Quality Systems • ANSI/RAB will accredit EMS Registrars and EMS Auditor Training Courses Accreditation Bodies Registrars Supplier Companies Directory of Registrars Directory of Registered Suppliers

10. ISO 14000 EMS Principles and Elements Policy and Commitment Review & Improve Plan Monitoring and Measurement Implement/ Operate

11. ISO 14001 Elements • Environmental Policy • Environmental Aspects • Legal & Other Requirements • Objectives & Targets • Environmental Management Programs • Structure & Responsibility • Training, Awareness & Competence • Communications • Environmental Management Systems Documentation

12. ISO 14001 Elements • Environmental Management Systems Documentation • Document Control • Operational Control • Emergency Preparedness & Response • Monitoring & Measurement • Nonconformance, Corrective & Preventive Action • Records • Environmental Management System Audit • Management Review

13. Environmental Policy Requirements • Ensure commitment to the EMS and define policy that: • is appropriate to the nature, scale and environmental impacts of the business • includes a commitment to continual improvement • includes a commitment to comply with relevant environmental legislation and regulations • is documented, maintained and communicated to all employees • is available to public

14. ISO 14001: Planning • Formulate a plan to fulfill environmental policy • identify environmental aspects and significant impacts to environment • identify legal requirements and other internal priorities or criteria • establish environmental objectives and targets • establish a program/plan to achieve objectives and targets

15. Environmental Aspects The organization shall establish and maintain (a) procedure(s) to identify the environmental aspects of its activities, products or services that it can control and over which it can be expected to have influence, in order to determine those which have or can have significant impacts on the environment. The organization shall insure that the aspects related to these significant impacts are considered in setting its environmental objectives.

16. Process for Identifying/Evaluating Environmental Aspects Periodically Review and Update Define Scope Define Process Record Results Evaluate Impacts Gather Data Identify Environmental Aspects Identify Environmental Impacts Assemble appropriate people

17. Example Environmental Aspects

18. Minimize emissions from unpreventable malfunctions and startups/shutdowns Minimize the amount of unburned materials in ash Reduce ash disposal requirements Minimize mercury in MSW coming to WTE Facility Reduce waste disposal requirements Develop/enhance procedures/checklists to minimize emissions during these conditions Eliminate preventable ash extractor pluggages by end 2001 Implement systems to recover 50% of metals in ash by 2003 Conduct household mercury collection programs in 2001 Double recycled materials by 2004 Objective and Targets

19. ISO 14001: Implementation • Develop organizational capabilities and support mechanisms that provide: • personnel, technology, and financial resources • training on EMS policy, aspects and impacts, etc.. • procedures for external and internal communication • document control • operational controls • emergency preparedness and response

20. Operational Control

21. ISO 14001Monitoring and Measurement • Develop and maintain procedures to regularly monitor and measure performance against objectives and targets • Maintain and document program for calibrating monitoring equipment • Identify and investigate non-conformance and implement corrective and preventative action • Establish and maintain program to conduct periodic internal audits

22. Corrective and Preventative Action • Environmental Incident Corrective and Preventative Action • Environmental incidents includes emission exceedances, chemical spills, any audit findings • All environmental incidents require full evaluation of root cause, initial response, and identification and implementation of corrective and/or preventative action

23. Internal Audit • Conduct periodic audits of the EMS to determine if it conforms to planned arrangements and has been properly implemented and maintained • Generally conducted semi-annually, just prior to the Registration Audit • Can be conducted by facility personnel (independent from the area being audited).

24. Management Review • Conduct Annual (at least) Management Review of EMS to ensure: • Its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness • Adequate information is collected to perform the management review • Address the need for changes to policy, environmental aspects, objectives, or other elements

25. Costs of 1SO 14001 • Registration Audit: $8,000 - $16,000 • Annual Maintenance: $5,000 -$15,000 (Surveillance Audits and preparation) • Internal Implementation Costs

26. Potential Benefits of ISO 14001 • Provide a Framework for Management of Environmental Affairs • Demonstrate Commitment to Environmental Protection (to Public, Regulatory Agencies, Etc.) • Help Ensure Continuous Improvement • As a Condition of Some Customer/supplier Transactions • As a Factor in Alternative Regulatory Programs • As a Condition of Business Loans • Lower Insurance Premiums

27. Potential Drawbacks of ISO 14001 • Substantial Work to Maintain Certification • Cost to Maintain Certification • Potential Loss of Certification

28. Registration • Select Registrar and Schedule Registration Audit (3rd party audit) • Conducted Registration Audit in March 2002 • Registered to ISO 14001 in March 2002