The Strategic Goals Program for Metal Finishers:

New Strategies for SuccessEnvironmental Management Systems (EMS)

and Metal Finishers

Norma Murphy

DPPEA

(919) 715-6513

EMS Primer

• Based on the ISO 14001 Model, Plan-Do-Check-Act.• Does provide a system to

manage environmental impacts

and achieve environmental

performance goals.• Does not bring on additional

regulatory compliance requirements.

What Does an EMS Look Like?17 Elements Comprise the Standard

• Policy Statement• Aspects & Impacts • Legal & Other

Requirements• Objectives & Targets• Monitoring & Reporting• Structure & Responsibility

• Emergency Response & Preparedness

• Communication• Training • Document Control• Preventive & Corrective Action• Mgt. Review & Auditing

Why an EMS? Companies are now requiring certification of their

suppliers: automotive, pharmaceutical, aerospace and utility providers.

Improved compliance with regulations. Increased cost savings through pollution prevention,

improved material use, and energy efficiency.

Improved communication within facility operations.

EMS Building Blocks

• Secure top management support.• Commit resources upfront.• Establish team members.• Keep it Simple!• Show success early and often.• Set reasonable timetable for completion.• Involve staff from all aspects of facility operations.

ISO 14001 Certification

• ISO 14001 is not a performance standard

or guarantee of regulatory compliance.• Certification can occur by self-declaration,

third-party or an independent registrar.• Participate in initial conformance audits and

subsequent surveillance audits.• Can combine with ISO 9000 audits.

ISO 14001 Registered

EMS Aspects & ImpactsControl and Influence

• Environmental Aspect (Cause): Any product, service or activity that can interact with the environment – positively or negatively.– Air emissions– Solid waste recycling

• Environmental Impact (Effect): Change to environment resulting from aspect.– Increased ozone emissions– Reduced landfill space

Identifying Metal Finishing Aspects

• Permitted discharges• Plant walkthroughs/Process flow diagrams • Waste sent offsite (sludges, solid, hazardous)• Maintenance and clean-up activities• Purchasing records• Point source and fugitive air emissions• Energy

Metal Finishing Aspect Examples• Air Quality

– Tanks, containers, process lines, dryers

– Spills and leaks of volatile substances

– Boilers, generators, heaters

– Vehicle emissions

• Water Quality– Process lines, parts

washers, grinders– Cooling water/tower– Boiler blowdown– Spent process fluids– Runoff from parking

lots/grounds

Metal Finishing Aspect Examples

• Groundwater Quality– Underground storage

tanks/injection wells– Aquifer depletion– Leaks from lagoons and

catch basins

• Nonrenewable sources– Energy – Material use– Water use – Paper, packaging, plastic,

office waste, cafeteria waste

Checklist

Impact Aspect Source Area

Air Emissions Air Quality Plating/Coating/Drying

Water Contamination

Wastewater Discharge

Plating, Pretreatment, Surface Preparation

Reduced Landfill Space

Cardboard Recycling

Shipping/Receiving, Offices, Packaging

Nonrenewable Resource Utilization

Energy Use Plant operations, Lighting, HVAC

Significant Aspects

• Determining significant environmental aspects allows facility to focus on those with the greatest potential for environmental impacts.

• Activities identified as significant must have: – Operational controls– Education, competence and training– Monitoring and measuring.

Considerations for Significance Determinations

• Environmental– Scale of Impact– Severity of Impact– Probability of Impact– Duration of Impact

• Business– Potential regulatory &

legal exposure– Difficulty/cost

of changing

impact– Effects on other activities– Concerns of stakeholders– Effect on public image

Setting Objectives & Targets

• Standard requires objectives (overall goal) and targets (specific reductions/projects) be set for the organization’s relevant departments & functions. Consider:– Legal & other requirements– Significant aspects– Technological options– Financial, operational and business requirements– Remember P2, continual improvement, and compliance– Energy example

Typical Nonconformances

• Major/minor nonconformances issued.• Aspects/impacts only for production, looks only for negative

impacts, no system to keep them updated.• Objectives/targets are not tracked.• Training/awareness must include new/temporary employees – what about

suppliers/contractors?• Document all procedures, remember records retention and disposal.

• Division of Pollution Prevention & Environmental Assistance (DPPEA) Web site: http://www.p2pays.org/iso/index.htm– Guidance Documents– Sample EMSs, Real Examples– Links to ISO organization– North Carolina certified facilities– Many other resources…