1. Similarities and Differences Among Environmental Management Systems
Richard N. Andrews
Professor of Environmental Policy
Director, National Database on Environmental Management Systems
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
MSWG Conference on “Learning Together,” June 4, 2001

2. National Database on Environmental Management Systems
NDEMS: A Joint Project of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Environmental Law Institute
Supported by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
In cooperation with
the Multi-State Working Group (MSWG) on
Environmental Management Systems

3. National Database on Environmental Management Systems
Purpose
To determine effects of ISO and other environmental management systems on
Environmental performance/conditions
Economic performance
Regulatory compliance
Pollution prevention
Engagement with stakeholders

4. National Database on Environmental Management Systems
Database Scope
50+ pilot facilities in 12 economic sectors
Business and government, large and SME
Implementing EMSs (ISO and others)
In 10 states
(AZ, CA, IL, IN, NC, NH, OR, PA, VT, WI)
Baseline (3 years) EMS design updates

5. EMS Planning Process

6. Need for Empirical Research
Actual use of ISO EMS procedure:
What activities, products, services included in EMS scope?
What environmental aspects, impacts?
Which designated as significant, by what processes and criteria?
What objectives and targets?
Implications for business, public expectations

7. Presentation Comparison of EMS planning documents
Data from 40 facilities so far
Data Source: National Database on Environmental Management Systems (NDEMS)

8. Should Expect Variation
Differences in sectors, operations
in size, scale, complexity
in environmental conditions
in competence, perceptions, priorities, teamwork
in interpretation of the ISO standard

9. What Have We Found?

10. Activities ISO 14001 Guidance:
An organization should identify the various activities, processes, products or services that are included in the scope of the EMS
Distinguishing them in such a way that they are “large enough for meaningful examination and small enough to be sufficiently understood.”

11. Activities: Findings Great variation in characterization, detail
Majority defined activities as production processes, on-site operations, business functions
Examples:
Manufacturing, maintenance, construction, housekeeping, grounds-keeping, transportation, waste management

12. Activities: Findings
Some (15) identified more specific processes and equipment operations
Examples:
Boilerhouse operations, rinsing, stripping, molding, cleaning, extrusion, polishing , de-icing, forklift operation, aircraft refueling
A few (6) listed specific chemicals used:
Nitric acid, chlorine, cyanide, heavy metals, alcohol, mercury, ...

13. Activities: Findings
Still others (6) listed specific resource uses and waste streams
Use of electricity, water, raw materials
Waste generation, air emissions, wastewater discharges, land contamination
A few: minute detail
Trash, cardboard, soiled rags
Drinking fountains, toilets, janitorial sinks, shoveling snow

14. Activities: Findings Few included products or services
Nearly all focused on site-specific production and support activities
Few mentioned life-cycle analysis, product stewardship, sustainability

15. Aspects
ISO guidance:
Identify all environmental aspects of activities, products and services
Aspect = element of activity, product or service which can have a beneficial or adverse effect on the environment
Include all those that the organization “can control and over which it can be expected to have an influence”

16. Findings – Aspects Varied in characterization, specificity
More than half included more detailed actions associated with each activity
25% simply duplicated activity lists
Three identified more detailed business functions without environmental content

17. Example 1: AAIS Identification - Note discrimination of significance for some impacts

18. Example 2: AAIS Identification - Note every identified impact ranked as significant

19. Impacts
ISO guidance:
Organization should identify as many as possible of the actual or potential environmental impacts associated with each aspect of its activities
Impact = change which takes place in the environment as a result of the aspect, either positive or negative

20. Impacts -- Findings Impacts usually described generically
Most (32) identified impacts only by generic types, without details or quantification
Degradation of air, water, groundwater, soil
Use of energy, water, natural resources;
Generation of wastes, impacts on landfill capacity; noise; wildlife habitat, endangered species

21. Impacts -- Findings
A few mentioned others: cultural resources, pathogens and vectors
Six included occupational health and safety
Only seven included positive environmental effects
Can be important: e.g. natural resource management, cleaner-production technologies

22. Significance Determination -- Findings
Variation in procedures for determining
Also in actual judgments of significance
What is significant in the judgment of one facility may not seem so to another
Major hazardous waste streams or air pollutant emissions, versus snow-blower fuel and oil-contaminated Q-tips

23. Significance Ranking Judgments and Procedures

24. Significance Ranking Judgments and Procedures

25. Objectives and Targets -- Findings
Four distinct types of objectives and targets identified:
Performance-oriented
Project-oriented,
Management activity-oriented
Compliance-oriented
A few others -- no common category

26. Performance-based O & T

27. Project-based O & T

28. Management, Training, and Awareness-Raising as O & T

29. Compliance Assurance O & T

30. Other Considerations
Few included identifiable objectives related to life-cycle analysis, product stewardship
Only three facilities specifically mentioned risk reduction O & T
All for maintaining regulatory compliance
Very few involved external interested parties

31. Target Dates Target dates: three categories
Already accomplished (a few cases)
Coming year ( )
“Continuous," “ongoing"
None mentioned any O & T for more than two years in the future
Immediate, incremental, facility-level
No longer-term strategic objectives

32. Conclusions … Facilities have great discretion in EMS design
In practice, EMSs vary significantly
Content more important than certificate per se
Certification = organization has good information easily available
Key issues: Internal versus external uses, openness about performance

33. http://www.eli.org/isopilots.htm ndems@unc.edu
National Database on Environmental Management Systems