# Presentation: 319633

## Environmental Management Systems Awareness Training

***January 24, 2008***

**Mr. Earl Griffin **
- Safety, Health and Env. Manager
**Ms. Beth Anderson **Environmental Protection Specialist
- South Atlantic Area

**Dr. Darrell Cole**
**Area Director**
**South Atlantic Area**

**Mr. Joon Park**
**Deputy Area Director**
**South Atlantic Area**

**Dr. Karl Narang**
**Associate Area Director**
**South Atlantic Area**

## Objectives

**Understanding of Executive Order (EO) 13423. **
**Able to explain what an EMS is and its benefits.**
**Why an EMS is important to what you do.**

## “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management”

- Executive Order 13423 was signed by President Bush on January 26, 2007.
- Consolidated five previous executive orders and two Memoranda of Understanding into one order, 85 pages down to 7 plus instructions.
- Provides a holistic approach to integrating energy, environment and human health considerations into mission implementation.
- Updated and set more aggressive goals for
**energy efficiency **
**renewable energy **
**water conservation**
**pollution prevention/recycling**
**high performance buildings **
**fleet management and **
**electronics stewardship.**

## What is an Environmental Management System (EMS)?

**An EMS is**:
- A set of procedures to reduce our environmental footprint in our day-to-day activities.
- An _overall management system_ which includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, procedures, resources and people to help address environmental issues.
- Important EMS elements include continual improvement, management commitment, formalization, and awareness of a systems based approach.

## Purpose of an EMS?

**   ****An EMS brings together the people,**
** ****policies, plans and procedures **
**used to manage **
**environmental issues at a facility**

## Benefits of an EMS

**Reduce operating costs**
**Integrate environmental programs **
**Increase employee involvement**
**Reduce environmental impacts**
**Helps maintain compliance**

## EMS Components

**Environmental Policy**
**Planning**
**Implementation and Operation**
**Checking and Corrective Action**
**Management Review**

## EMS Components

## Plan, Do, Check, Act

**Plan**Planning, identifying environmental aspects and establishing goals
**Do**Implementing, includes training and operational controls
**Check**Checking, includes monitoring and corrective action
**Act**Reviewing, includes progress reviews and acting to make needed changes

## Environmental Policy

**EMS Committee is required to develop and maintain an EMS policy statement that includes:**
- Continual improvement
- Pollution prevention
- Environmental compliance
**Environmental Policy is:**
- Signed by Location Senior Management Official
- Communicated to location personnel and the public
- Reviewed annually and updated as necessary
- Framework for setting environmental goals, objectives, and targets

## Planning

**EMS Committee responsible for:**
- Identifying aspects and impacts from location's activities, products and services
- Set objectives and targets
- Specific statements of measurable results that are to be accomplished within a specific time period (plan of action with milestones)
- Significant environmental impacts associated with the facility and research-related operations
- Regulatory issues
- Pollution prevention and conservation initiatives

## Implementation and Operation

**Location EMS Committee shall:**
- Define roles and responsibilities to carry out annual goals and objectives
- Implement EMS training
- Develop internal and external communication
- Documentation control
- Policy, objectives and targets
- Legible and retrievable
- Maintained for a minimum of 30 years
- Establish operational controls
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Business Recovery Plans for Fire, Chemical Spills, etc.

## Checking and Corrective Action

**Conduct periodic monitoring of environmental performance**
- EMS committee conducts meetings at least quarterly
- Document accomplishments and progress of annual goals
**Identify root causes of findings and conduct corrective and preventive actions**
**Maintain environmental records**

## Management Review

**Senior management review of EMS**
- At least annually, recommend 2 to 3 times per year
- EMS Coordinator reviews the following with senior management
- Significant environmental aspects
- Progress towards achievement of objectives and targets
- Corrective and preventative actions
- Senior Management
- Acknowledges EMS accomplishments
- Champions EMS
- Certifies Progress

## So what is my EMS role and responsibility?

**You are responsible for knowing:**
- Understand basic EMS principles
- Know what the environmental policy is or at least where to find it
- Know what the aspects, objectives/targets are of the location
- How your job impacts the environment
- How to minimize or eliminate negative impacts
- Legal and other requirements of your job

## Examples of Aspects and Impacts

**Aspect: Office use of electronic equipment**
- Impact: Generation of recyclable waste (paper, batteries, toner cartridges)
**Aspect: Use of  solvents, oil, fluorescent lamps**
- Impact: Land contamination (landfill)
**Aspect: Air emissions from buildings**
- Impact: Air pollution
**Aspect: Motor vehicle operations**** ****(oil, antifreeze, tires, batteries)**
- Impact: Hazardous waste generation and air pollution
**Aspect: Custodial Operations ****(cleaning products, paper, water)**
- Impact: Depletion of natural resources and solid waste

## EMS Review The Basics

## So what is my EMS role and responsibility?

**Participate in the EMS**
- Let EMS Coordinator/Committee know of:
- Energy conservation efforts (efficient lighting upgrades, low flow toilets, etc)
- Less harmful chemicals being substituted
- Any activity that reduces the location’s environmental footprint
**WHY?**
- Maintains an effective EMS
- Communication (reporting, awards, etc)

## Summary

**An EMS is the combination of people, policies, procedures, review, and plans to help address environmental issues.**
**Can you answer these questions?**
- What is EO 13423?
- What is an EMS?
- What is your EMS role and responsibility?

## Location Specific Information

**ARS Tifton **_***IS***_** a recycling facility.**
**We recycle our....**
**Office Products**
**Plastics**
**Glassware**
**Steel, Tin, or Aluminum cans**
**All Batteries**
**Electronic Equipment**
**Cardboard**

## Location Specific Information

**	****Universal waste regulations streamline collection requirements for certain hazardous wastes into the following categories:**** **
*** Batteries - Lead acid but we collect ALL types**
*** Pesticides - Collect then dispose of through ****	****	****	****                 Georgia Clean Day****	**
*** Mercury - Containing thermostats/thermometers**
*** Lamps - All except tungsten **
** ****	****	****	****   ****(i.e. halogen, neon, fluorescent)**
** **

## Location Specific Information

**e-CYCLE: RECYCLE ELECTRONICS**
- 	_**Items that can be e-cycled:**_**  Computers, hard-drives, keyboards, printers, televisions, VCR/DVD players, cell phones, telephones, radios, pagers, digital equipment, scanners, copiers, scientific equipment, and much, much more.......**
_**DO**_**:  Save old, broken, or unused electronic       ****	****   equipment for recycling!**
_**DON’T**_**:  Throw any electronic equipment in the ****	****	****dumpster!**

## Location Specific Information

**WHO DO I CALL?**
**For information about hazardous waste, universal waste, or e-cycling (electronic equipment), contact:**
**Tom Hendricks, Collateral Duty Safety Officer, (229) 387-2392.**
**For information about general recycling procedures, water/energy conservation or other EMS policies please contact:**
**Tamara Snipes, Collateral Duty EMS Coordinator, (229) 387-2344.**
**Any member of the EMS Committee.**

## Questions?

**Beth Anderson****Environmental Protection Specialist**
**South Atlantic Area**
**706-546-3613**
**Beth.Anderson@ars.usda.gov**