ISO-14000
Series of International Standards The
need for environmental protection and management has been recognized for
some time and following the success of the ISO 9000 Standards for quality
management, ISO introduced the 14000 series for environmental management.
In September 1996, international standards were finalized in ISO 14001
requiring implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in
accordance with defined internationally recognized standards. The
ISO 14001 standard specifies requirements for establishing an environmental
policy, determining environmental aspects and impacts of products / activities
/ services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets,
implementation and operation of programmes to meet objectives and targets,
checking and corrective action, and management review. The key to a sucessful ISP 14001 Environmental Management System is having documented procedures that are implemented and maintained in such a way that environmental goals in a business are achieved. The EMS must also include appropriate monitoring and review to ensure effective functioning and to identify and implement corrective measures when necessary. The
ISO 14000 family of international standards relating to Environmental
Management includes :
There
are three components to an Environmental Management System (EMS): a written
programme; education and training; and knowledge of relevant local and
international environmental regulations. The
written program requires the company to be committed to producing the
highest quality product with the lowest possible environmental impact
and sets out the procedures to be followed to achieve this goal. A programme
cannot be effective unless all employees have access to and understanding
of the EMS. This is achieved through education and training. ISO14010
to 14015 – Environmental Auditing An
environmental audit is similar to a medical examination and is a routine
evaluation of a company's environmental controls. Audits should
be conducted by an independent third party, defining the inputs (raw materials,
energy) and outputs (waste streams, emissions) of the system. This balance
approach allows the identification of inefficiencies within the system
that have an environmental impact. Management
should be provided with the audit report to implement those changes necessary
to reduce environmental impacts. A schedule should be developed to allow
progressive implementation of agreed changes before the next audit. Environmental
audits are typically conducted annually with severe problems requiring
more frequent "mini-audits" to monitor the operation of specific
processes. ISO14020
to 14024 – Environmental Labelling To
meet consumer needs, environmentally friendly products should have an
advantage over their "non-friendly" competitors. Europe is currently
leading the world through the adoption in 1992 of Eco-label regulation.
This voluntary regulation had the effect of encouraging manufacturers
to reduce the environmental impact of their products, and inform consumers
about the environmental performance of their products. Initially, this
labelling was targeted for detergents, paint and paper products. Many
companies are already planning to identify their products through the
label scheme to obtain advantage over non-labelled competitors and European
firms will undoubtedly pursue this avenue to attract customers. ISO14031
& 14032 – Environmental Performance Evaluations Environmental
Performance is measured by quantifying the impact a business has on the
environment. This is determined initially by an inventory of impacts such
as air emissions, and wastewater discharges. Establishing a baseline from
the inventory, a company can then identify indicators of improvement. An
example would be a chlorine and caustic soda plant using mercury cells
as part of the production process. A baseline inventory would identify
mercury as having the major impact on the surrounding environment. Mercury
levels would be measured in surface and groundwater draining from the
plant and where necessary, controls initiated within the manufacturing
process (eg filtering of plant discharge water) to secure containment
of waste sludge. Testing and analysis of nearby plant or seafood tissue
would ensure the stabilisation or even reduction of mercury concentrations.
ISO14040
to 14043 – Life Cycle Assessment All
products have a life cycle; they are manufactured, operate and are disposed
of. While
the idea of a food product life cycle is readily understood, the specifics
for other products are often hard to quantify. Life cycle assessment is
still only a concept for many products but the underlying message is very
clear – what we make today will he inherited by our children tomorrow. An
example where regulations are impacting positively on life cycle assessments
is vehicle manufacturers who are already reporting on their products.
We are seeing the development of cars with fewer body parts which are
also being made with a greater percentage of renewable materials like
plastic and aluminium. Operational emissions are being reduced by the
use of alternative fuels such as natural gas or propane with the development
of more fuel-efficient engines and catalytic converters. In
the future, many companies will find that ISO14000 Certification has become
a contractual requirement of international customers, particularly those
in the EC and the US. As ISO 14000 is a continuation of the ISO 9000 Product
Quality standards, it is likely that this will become a requirement for
attaining ISO-9001 re-certification. Many companies are therefore establishing
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) that complement their Quality Management
Systems (QMS) and conform to ISO 14001 guidelines in order to remain competitive
in the global marketplace. Companies
which are already registered to ISO9000 standards, often pro-actively
make the transition to ISO14001 as a natural progression, taking advantage
of some of the systems already developed for ISO9000 and broaden them
to include facilities and environmental areas. |