18 Environmental Management System (ISO 14000)

Sunil Mittal

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     1. Introduction

2.  International Standards Organization (ISO) 

2.1 Principles of the ISO 14000 series

2.2 Emergence of ISO 14000 series

2.3 ISO 14000 series focuses on two major areas in the evaluation of environmental management practice

2.4 ISO 14001

2.5 Difference between ISO 14000 and ISO 14001

3. Benefits of EMS

4.  Organizations which can adopt ISO 14001

4.1 First Party, Second Party and Third Party Audits

5.   ISO in India

 

1.  Introduction

 

Till recent years, for the control of industrial pollution, emphasis has been given on discharge points (end-of-the pipe). Pollution Control was reflected as an appendage to the overall production activity and attended in an isolated way. Since this approach has not yielded desired results, then emphasis has now been shifted from pollution control to Environmental Management System (EMS). Environmental Management System has opened a chapter in abatement of industrial pollution. ISO 14000 is a series of several environmental management standards. In late 1996, the most important of the series, ISO 14001, was released. ISO 14001 helps to industry for identify associated environmental issues and reduce pollution as well as improve environmental performance gradually. ISO 14001 is also popularly known as Environmental Management System (EMS).

 

It takes a holistic view of all the activities of an industrial unit includes quantity and quality of raw materials, water & energy usage, production & packaging processes, transportation etc. EMS identifies the activities responsible for environmental degradation and to address these problems in a systematic manner.

 

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of policy measures, management actions, operating procedures, documentation and record keeping with defined responsibilities and accountability of personnel within an organization to address its environmental issues. It acts as identification and solving problem tool, which can be implemented in an organization in different ways depending upon the needs and objectives of an organization. It provides a framework through which an organization can minimize the harmful effects of its activities on the environment. So EMS is a programme of continuous environmental improvement following a defined sequence of steps drawn from established project management practice and routinely applied in business management. In simple terms, these steps can be outlined as follows:

 

  • Review the environmental consequences to the industrial operations
  • Establish the action plan to attain the objectives
  • Monitor performance against these objectives
  • Report the results appropriately
  • Review the whole system and strive for continuous improvement.

 

The EMS system follows PDCA cycle i.e. Plan – DO- Check – Act (Figure 1)

 

The diagram depicted the process to plan first environmental policy and then implementing it. The cycle also includes checking the system and acting on it. The model is continuous because the EMS is a continuous process of improvement in which an organization constantly reviews and revises their system. The components come under PDCA cycle is updated by Joe Kausek’s book Environmental Management: Quick and Easy.

 

Components   included   PDCA   Cycle   (Source:   Joe   Kausek’s   book    Environmental Management: Quick and Easy)

 

1. Plan:

 

i.  Environmental aspects

ii. Legal and other requirements

iii.  Objectives, targets and programs

 

2.  Do:

 

i. Resources, responsibilities, and authority

ii. Competence, training, and awareness

iii.  Communication

iv.  Documentation

v. Control of documents

vi.  Operational control

vii. Emergency preparedness and response

 

3. Check:

 

i.  Monitor and measure

ii. Evaluate compliance

iii.  Nonconformity, corrective and preventive action

iv.   Control of records

v.     Internal audits

 

4. Act:

 

i. Management review

ii.  ISO 14001 audit

 

2.  International Standards Organization (ISO)

 

ISO stands for International Standards Organization which is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The short form “ISO” is not an acronym, but instead is derived from the Greek word “isos”, meaning “equal” (implying: “standard”). ISO was founded in 1947 and works in 162 countries. It promotes the international harmonization and development of manufacturing product. ISO has laid down more than 8000 standards ranging from paper sizes to film speeds. Most of the countries follow ISO standards. More than 120 countries are full ISO voting members and several other countries work as observer members. India is one of the founder members and has voting right. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is officially representing body of India.

 

2.1. Principles of the ISO 14000 series

  • Attempt to give better environmental management
  • Products should be manufactured according to safe environmental aspects
  • Applicable to all countries
  • EMS should be based on the broader interests of the public & users
  • To be cost-effective & flexible
  • To be scientific based, practical, useful and usable

 

2.2. Emergence of ISO 14000 series

 

The ISO 14001 series emerged primarily as a result of the Uruguay round of the GATT negotiations and the Earth Summit held in June, 1992. While GATT concentrates on the need to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade, the Earth Summit generated a commitment for protection of the environment across the world. The environmental field has seen a steady growth of national and regional standards.

 

The world’s first standard for EMS-BS 7750 was developed and published by the British Standard Institute (BSI) in 1992. This standard was the model for the ISO 14000 series which establishes the requirements for an EMS, finalized in 1996. BS 7750 was also the basis for the European Union’s Eco-management and Audit Scheme, known as EMAS.

 

The ISO 14000 series addresses the following aspects of environmental management:

  • Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
  • Environmental Auditing & Related Investigations (EA&RI)
  • Environmental Labels and Declarations (EL)
  • Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPE)
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
  • Terms and Definitions (T&D)

 

2.3. ISO 14000 series focuses on two major areas in the evaluation of environmental management practice. One area focuses on organizational

 

The standards for organizational evaluation include:

 

1.      Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001, ISO 14004, ISO 14061).

2.      Environmental Performance Evaluation (ISO 14014, ISO 14015, ISO 14031).

3.      Environmental Auditing (ISO 14010, ISO 14011, ISO 14012, ISO 14013, ISO 14014).

 

The standards for product, services and processes include:

 

4.   Life Cycle Assessment (ISO 14040, ISO 14041, ISO 14042, ISO 14043).

5.      Environmental Labeling (ISO 14020, ISO 14021, ISO 14022, ISO 14023, ISO 14024).

6.      Environmental Aspects in Product Standards (ISO 14060). The major ISO series are enlisted in Table 1:

2.4. ISO 14001

 

ISO 14001 specifies the standard for establishment and maintenance of an environmental management system (EMS) in an organization. It belongs to the ISO-14000 series of standards relating to environmental management including eco-labeling and environmental audit etc.

 

ISO 14001 (EMS-Specification with guidance for use), is the only certifying EMS standard and ISO 14004 (EMS-General Guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques) is the guidance for the implementation of ISO 14001.

 

2.5. Difference between ISO 14000 and ISO 14001

 

The ISO 14001 standard is the most important standard within the ISO 14000 series. ISO 14001 specifies the requirements of an environmental management system (EMS) for small to large organizations. An EMS is a systemic approach to handling environmental issues within an organization.

 

3. Benefits of EMS

 

ISO 14001 is a voluntary standard but the Enterprises/industries which obtain it have many benefits as below:

 

1.      Improved environmental performance due to compliance of standards.

2.      Reduced liability for pollution control.

3.      Competitive advantage being environmental friendly.

4.      Improved compliance of environmental laws and regulations.

5.      Reduced costs of pollution prevention.

6.      Reduced accidents due to emergency preparedness plan.

7.      Employee involvement due to awareness.

8.      Improve public image

9.      Enhanced consumer trust.

10.  More favorable credit terms.

 

4. Organizations which can adopt ISO 14001

 

ISO 14001 is applicable to any organization that is defined as a “Company, Corporation, Firm, Enterprise, Authority or Institution or part or combination, thereof, whether incorporated or not, public or private, that has its own functions and administration”. Therefore, any organization, small or big, manufacturing industry or business house can get ISO 14001 certification by establishing and maintaining EMS as per ISO 14001 specifications.

 

Though ISO 14001 Standard does not specify the validity period of certification but normally it is valid for 3 years, and the certification needs to be renewed after every three years. During the currency of certificate, internal audit

 

It is a systematic, periodic, independent and documented verification process of objectively obtaining and evaluating evidence to determine whether an organization’s EMS confirms to the EMS audit criteria set by the organization, and for communication of the results of this process to management.

 

4.1. First Party, Second Party and Third Party Audits

 

First Party or Internal Audit is carried out within the Company so that the business can maintain control of the environmental performance and the EMS.

 

Second Party audit is one where a purchasing company audits a supplier to be satisfied that the product is being manufactured according to specifications.

 

Third party audit is defined as the one where an independent certification body audits an organization in order to issue a certificate of approval that the system meets the specification of the standard (ISO 14001).

 

ISO 14001 standards allows an enterprise to self-certify that it has established and it is maintaining an EMS as per ISO 14001 after carrying internal audit. Third parry certification is the certification which is issued by an independent agency after satisfying that the organization’s EMS confirms to ISO 14001 standards.

 

Major Elements of ISO 14001 Standards

 

ISO 14001 standards specify the elements of an EMS with advice on how to initiate, implement, improve and sustain the EMS. It is a system that aims at the integration of environmental management issues with the overall management function of an organization. Like in the case of quality management, keywords for EMS are “Plan, Act, Check and Improve” (Figure 2).

The five major elements of ISO 14001 are depicted in Figure 3 i.e. Environmental Policy; Planning; Implementation and Operation, Checking & Action and Management Review.

A. Environmental policy – The first requirement of EMS- ISO System is to establishment of an Environmental Policy. The management is committed to regulatory compliance, pollution prevention and continuous improvement.

 

Implementation of ISO 14001 requires an organization to specify its policy, identify the environmental aspects and impacts, set objectives define procedures to achieve the targets and objectives, implement the plan, check and take corrective measures as per set procedures. This standard also requires an organization to review its system from time to time. ISO 14001 views the environmental policy as the driving force of the whole environment management system, and requires the commitment of the top management to comply with all relevant, laws, pollution prevention and continual improvement. The policy is required to be developed carefully and according to the nature and scale of the operations, and is communicated to all employees and public.

 

B. Planning: (i) Identify and evaluate environmental interactions and significant aspects/impact

(ii)   Identify legal and other requirements and develop environmental objectives,

(iii)   Targets and programmes to achieve which minimize to environmental harm

 

As per ISO

 

Aspect – Elements of organization’s activities, product or services that can interact with the environment

 

Impact – Any change to the environment, adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from organization’s activities, product or services.

 

Legal and other requirements – What are the rules and their effects?

 

Once the policy is in place, the planning process starts next. This includes identifying all actual or potential environmental aspects (those activities, products and services that interact with the environment) and their associated impacts. Of these impacts, the significant ones are to be identified. Then, the based on the commitments made in the policy must meet all the significant aspects/impacts. The management plan prepared subsequently details out the responsibilities; describe the means and time frame within which the objectives and targets are to be achieved

 

C. Implementation & operation: The success of any management plan, implementation and operational procedure play key role. For the achievement of any management plan, proper structure, specific responsibilities, the competence levels of the employees will be kept in view. The need of training will also be recognized to implement a management plan, internal communication. In any other management system, good documentation, operational aspects and their control is closely linked to the effectiveness of the system. These are covered in the element, The phage “Implementation and Operation” covers that follows the plan exercise.

 

(i)   Define structure and responsibility

Ø  Inclusion of human resource

Ø   Top management provides the resources

Ø   Appointment of management representative and their responsibilities are:

 

§    Ensures the establishment of EMS

§    Reports on performance over time

§    Works with others to modify EMS

 

(ii)   Training awareness and competence:

 

  • Every worker can have effort to give good impact on the environment
  • Employees can have nodal ideas, awareness, skills, motivation and excellent commitment regarding the improvement of environmental management efforts.

 

(iii)   Communication: Both Internal and external

 

(iv)    Documentation: To ensure that the well understanding of EMS and their operating procedures

 

Document control

 

The organization has to ensure that the every employee is working under proper EMS documents. The implementation of document control procedures should be ensuring that (https://www3.epa.gov):

 

o   EMS document can be located

o   Periodically reviewed

o   Availability of current version whenever required

o   Obsolete documents are removed

(v)   Document control procedure

  • Responsibility to authority for preparing document
  • Making changes to them and keeping up-to-date

 

(vi)    Operational control: To ensure that the appropriate environmental policy is followed and achieved their objectives. During this time period, certain activities and operations must be under controlled.

 

  • Eg. Management / disposal of waste Approval of new chemicals wastewater treatment

 

(vii)   Emergency preparedness and response –

  • Assessing the potential for accidents and emergencies
  • Preventing accidents and their associated environment impacts
  • Plans and procedure for responding accidents
  • Periodic testing of emergency plans
  • Mitigating impacts to association with accidents

 

D. Checking: The system also requires that a mechanism for checking, correcting and improving the system be in place. The organization is required to have procedures to measure, monitor and, if anything goes wrong, to deal with non-compliance. As in any documentation system, records generated during day-to-day operations must be identifiable, traceable, retrievable and protected from damage/loss. EMS audits are to be carried out both internally and by third-party registration agencies.

 

  • Monitoring and measure environmental interactions
  • Evaluate compliance
  • Establish a nonconformance, corrective action and preventive action system
  • Maintain Records
  • Perform periodic internal audits of EMS

E. Management Review: The final element of the EMS specification is the Management Review. Top management reviews environment performance, EMS performance, policy, priorities and objectives and recommended improvements. Based on the review, the continual improvement of the EMS and better environmental performance is to be ensured.

 

There are several certification bodies accredited from other countries operating in India. A list of such bodies is given below:

 

  • Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) Det Norske (DNV)
  • Korea Management Association Quality Assurance (KMAQA)
  • Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA)
  • International Certifications Limited (ICL)
  • KPMG Quality Register
  • Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI)
  • TUV India Private Limited
  • Quality Assurance Services
  • AJAEQS Certification Services Pvt. Ltd.
  • Standardization, Testing & Quality Certification (STQC)

 

The only exception is Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which is enterprises which have been issued ISO 14001, certificate by different certifying agencies such as TUV Pvt. Ltd., DNV, BIS, BVQI, KPMG and Quality Assurance services. These enterprises include chemicals, telecommunications, food products, engineering, cement, textile, tobacco, pulp and paper, automobile, power sector, consumer goods, services and business centers. The various steps needed by an Enterprise/Company to get ISO 14001 are given below in the flow chart (Fig 4).

 

The cost of ISO 14001certification depends on the nature, size and initial status of environmental activities in the organization. The cost of certification also depends upon consultancy charges, execution cost of EMS; and auditing and certification charges. The total cost may vary from Rs.3.50 to 10.00 lakhs depending upon the size and nature of the enterprise.

 

5.  ISO in India

 

BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) is a founder member of International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It represents India in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) and the World Standards Service Network (WSSN).

 

Following are the ISO standards notified in the EHR Standards for India 2016 by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India –

 

ISO 18308:2011 Health Informatics – Requirements for an Electronic Health Record Architecture

 

ISO 13606 Health informatics – Electronic Health Record Communication

 

ISO/TS 14441:2013 Health Informatics – Security & Privacy Requirements of EHR Systems for Use in Conformity Assessment

 

Difference between ISO and ISI (Indian Standards Institute)

 

ISO and ISI are two different standardization organizations. ISO is an international standardization organization, while ISI belongs to Indian standardization and mark by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The ISI mark is a mandatory for products to be sold in India.

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