Overview of EMS and ISO 14001

Environmental Management Systems Development Course Raleigh, NC July 24, 2001

Beth Graves NC Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance

What is ISO?
International Organization for Standardization - Not an acronym "ISO" is a word, derived from the Greek isos, meaning "equal.
From "equal" to "standard-- line of thinking that led to the choice of "ISO" as the organizations name.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Worldwide federation of national standards bodies from over 100 countries, one representative from each country.
Non-governmental organization (NGO) established in 1947, located in Switzerland. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is US representative to ISO

ISO Organization
TMB (Technical Mgmt. Board)

ISO

TC 176 ISO 9000 QMS

TC 207 ISO 14000 EMS

Other TCs...

SC1 Terms & Def.

SC6 Terms & Def.

History
1987 - World Commission on Env. & Development (WCED) published Our Common Future
first use of sustainable development called for the development of effective env. management systems by industries

1989 - Creation of Strategic Advisory Group on the Environment (SAGE)

Recommended that a new ISO Technical Committee (TC) be formed to develop standards for EM

January 1993 - ISO creates TC 207 (TC 176 over QMS standards - ISO 9000) Fall 1996 ISO 14001 adopted

Structure of ISOs TC 207

ISO/TC 207 Environmental Management

SC 1 Environmental Management Systems

SC 2 Environmental Auditing

SC 3 Environmental Labelling

SC 4 Environmental Performance Evaluation

SC 5 Life Cycle Assessment

SC 6 Terms and Definitions

WG on Forestry

WG 1 Env. Aspects in Product Standards

WG1 Specification

WG 1 Aud. Principles

WG1 EPE

WG 2 Gen. Guidelines

WG 2 Aud. Procedures

WG2 Industry Sector EPE

SME WG

WG 3 Aud. Qual.

WG 3 Guiding Prin. for Env. Labeling Prog.

WG 4 Other Invest.

Sub-Committees of TC 207
SC 1: EMS - UK SC 2: Env. Auditing - Netherlands SC 3: Env. Labeling - Australia SC 4: Env. Performance Evaluation - US SC 5: Life Cycle Assessment - France SC 6: Terms and Definitions - Norway

ISO-related Acronyms
US TAG to TC 207, SCs and WGs Sts to the TAG NWIP, CD, DIS, and FDIS ISO specification standard/guidance or TR ANSI-RAB and the NAP

ISO 14000 Standards Family

Management System standards
EMS, auditing, EPE (14030)

Product standards
LCA (14040), labeling (14020)

ISO 14000 Family

A series of guidance documents and standards to help organizations address environmental issues.
14001: Environmental Management Systems 14004: EMS general guidelines 14010: Guidelines for Environmental Auditing 14011: Guidelines for Auditing of an EMS 14012: Auditing - Qualification criteria 14020: Environmental Labeling 14030: Env. Performance Evaluation (EPE) 14040: Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Environmental Management System (EMS)

ISO 14001 is the specification standard that is a model for an environmental management system. ISO 14004 is the guidance for the EMS specification 14001 is the only specification standard in the ISO series.

Becoming ISO 14001 certified

Registration body examines EMS for conformity to the ISO 14001 standard Not a compliance audit, an EMS audit Facility awarded registration Does NOT mean that products are more environmentally friendly Does mean have a documented EMS that is fully implemented and consistently followed

Registration
Terms certification and registration are synonymous May self-declare or self-certify Accredited registrars

3rd Party Certification

Accreditation Body
Ex. RAB
Accreditation Body

Registrar
Ex. Underwriters Laboratory

Auditors
Ex. John Doe, certifies the EMS of an organization meets requirements of ISO 14001

Registrar

Auditors

To Whom Do the Standards Apply?

Standard is Voluntary Large and Small Businesses & Industry Service Sectors (hospitals, hotels, etc.) City and County Government Applicable to all types of organizations, of all sizes anywhere in the world

What is an EMS?
Systematic way of managing an organizations environmental affairs Based on Plan-Do-Check-Act Model (PDCA) Focused on Continual Improvement of System Addresses immediate and long-term impact of an organizations products, services and processes on the environment. A tool to improve environmental performance

EMS
Focus not only on what but also why Top management priority Dynamic Flexible, simple Employee involvement

Endorses continual improvement

EMS
Much of an EMS may already be in place Key is to use a systematic approach to planning, controlling and improving environmental efforts Can be a vehicle for positive change

17 Requirements in ISO 14001

Env. Policy 4.2 Env. Aspects 4.3.1 Legal and other req. 4.3.2 Obj. and targets 4.3.3 Env. Mgmt. Program 4.3.4 Structure and Responsibility 4.4.1 Training, awareness, and competence 4.4.2 Communication 4.4.3 EMS documentation 4.4.4 Document control 4.4.5 Operational control 4.4.6 Emergency preparedness and response 4.4.7 Monitoring and measurement 4.5.1 Corrective/preventive action 4.5.2 Records 4.5.3 EMS audit 4.5.4 Management Review 4.6

EMS Model
Policy

Management Review

Plannin g

Implementation Checking Corrective Action

EMS Key Elements

Policy Statement/Commitment Identification of Significant Environmental Impacts Development of Objectives and Targets Implementation Plan to Meet Obj. and Targets Checking and Follow-up Training Management Review

Some EMS Models

Metal Finishers National Biosolids Partnership Project XL with the United Egg Producers Agriculture EMS models (livestock, soybean) SGIA model Federal facility models (CEMP, DOE guide) Compliance-focused EMS (CFEMS) Commission for Env. Cooperation (CEC guide)

EPA Position
published in Federal Register 3/12/98 Implementation of an EMS has the potential to improve an organizations environmental performance and compliance with regulatory requirements. EPA supports and will help promote the development and use of EMSs, including those based on the ISO 14001 standard...

US EPA and EMSs

Office of Water funded pilot efforts in 10 states, municipality pilots 1st project complete; beginning second pilot; new pilot with Biosolids Assoc. Region I Star Track program; Region IX EMS template for metal finishers EMS and Enforcement (CFEMS) EPA Aiming for Excellence Report Sept. 99 Performance Track