Understanding Activities, Aspects, and Impacts in the EMS

Objectives of this Overview Know definitions of activity, aspect, and impact Know definitions of activity, aspect, and impact Recognize importance of significant aspects to the EMS Recognize importance of significant aspects to the EMS Learn EMS requirements for aspects identification Learn EMS requirements for aspects identification

Why do this? Managing Aspects vs. Impacts It is more prudent and more efficient to manage “how” you interact with the environment than to manage “what” you have done to the environment It is more prudent and more efficient to manage “how” you interact with the environment than to manage “what” you have done to the environment An EMS is built around identifying, prioritizing, controlling, and improving upon, those elements of the organization that interact with the environment An EMS is built around identifying, prioritizing, controlling, and improving upon, those elements of the organization that interact with the environment

Environmental Aspects and Impacts-ISO Definition ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS Elements of an organization’s activities, products or services which can interact with the environment. (For example: wastewater discharges, air emissions, resource consumption, energy usage, ecosystem alterations, etc.) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partly resulting from an organization’s activities, products, or services (based on the aspects, for example: air emissions impacts the air by degrading the air quality).

More on Environmental Aspects Aspects are “cause”, impact is the “effect” Aspects are “cause”, impact is the “effect” Aspects can be: Aspects can be: direct or indirectdirect or indirect normal, abnormal, or emergencynormal, abnormal, or emergency past, present, or futurepast, present, or future Aspects address not only waste stream, but resource consumption, energy, and other “non-traditional” factors (noise, odor, visual) Aspects address not only waste stream, but resource consumption, energy, and other “non-traditional” factors (noise, odor, visual)

Activities, Products and Services This is where you describe what you do at your facility – mostly “activities” for Feds This is where you describe what you do at your facility – mostly “activities” for Feds –Consider mission – what ‘facility’ is designed to do - e.g. Fisheries research –Consider activities that support the mission – e.g. Biological Sampling –Consider actions that are both regulated and not regulated e.g. commuting to work

Aspect Analysis - Examples of Activities Mission related operations Mission related operations Maintenance Maintenance Motor vehicle fleet operations Motor vehicle fleet operations Wastewater treatment Wastewater treatment Solid waste handling and disposal Solid waste handling and disposal Raw material and chemical handling Raw material and chemical handling Bulk storage of fuels Bulk storage of fuels Administrative and employee activities Administrative and employee activities Engineering Engineering Purchasing Purchasing

Examples of Aspects Aspect: Aspect: –Waste generation –Material usage –Fuel usage –Air emissions –Chemical consumption –Energy consumption Not an aspect: Not an aspect: –Improve air quality – this is an objective –P2 – this is an objective –Vehicle maintenance – this is a activity –Water pollution – this is an impact

Examples Activity, Product, or Service Aircraft operations Aircraft operations Bus transportation and maintenance Bus transportation and maintenance Environmental Aspect Jet fuel consumption Jet fuel consumption Jet fuel releases (potential) Jet fuel releases (potential) Noise generation Noise generation Gasoline consumption Gasoline consumption Electricity consumption Electricity consumption Solid waste generation Solid waste generation Water consumption Water consumption Waste water generation Waste water generation

Examples Activity, Product, or Service Vehicle maintenance Vehicle maintenance Environmental Aspect Hazardous waste generation Hazardous waste generation Gasoline consumption Gasoline consumption Noise generation Noise generation Electricity consumption Electricity consumption Solid waste generation Solid waste generation Water consumption Water consumption Waste water generation Waste water generation Release of volatiles Release of volatiles

Examples Activity, Product, or Service Office work Office work Environmental Aspect Electricity consumption Electricity consumption Water consumption Water consumption Waste water generation Waste water generation Release of ozone depleting substances in air cooling units (potential) Release of ozone depleting substances in air cooling units (potential) Solid waste generation Solid waste generation Heavy metals “use” in computers Heavy metals “use” in computers

Examples Activity, Product, or Service Cleaning offices Cleaning offices Playing field upkeep (golf course, softball field, parade ground) Playing field upkeep (golf course, softball field, parade ground) Environmental Aspect Electricity consumption Electricity consumption Solid waste generation Solid waste generation Waste water generation Waste water generation Water consumption Water consumption Waste water generation Waste water generation Runoff from pesticide usage Runoff from pesticide usage Gasoline consumption Gasoline consumption Grass clipping generation Grass clipping generation

Identify the Impacts of Aspects Once the aspects are identified, you must identify the impact(s) associated with each one Once the aspects are identified, you must identify the impact(s) associated with each one This can be done using the same process you used for aspects, except there might be more involvement of environmental staff to assess impacts This can be done using the same process you used for aspects, except there might be more involvement of environmental staff to assess impacts List impacts along with aspects List impacts along with aspects

Examples of Aspects & Impacts Air emissions (exhaust) Air emissions (exhaust) Water consumption Water consumption Fuel release (accidental spills) Fuel release (accidental spills) Noise generation Noise generation Energy consumption (lights left on) Energy consumption (lights left on) Paper recycled Paper recycled Air quality degraded Air quality degraded Water resource depleted Water resource depleted Storm water contaminated Storm water contaminated Soil contaminated Soil contaminated Area nuisance Area nuisance Increased CO2 from coal- fired power plant emissions Increased CO2 from coal- fired power plant emissions Landfill space conserved, raw materials conserved Landfill space conserved, raw materials conserved Aspects Impacts

In Closing- Tips for Effective Aspects Identification and Rating Be comprehensive Be comprehensive Do not pre-judge! Inventory completely; you have the opportunity to prioritize later Do not pre-judge! Inventory completely; you have the opportunity to prioritize later Sort by activity, product, or service; and identify impacts Sort by activity, product, or service; and identify impacts Significance criteria change over time; all relative. Should never have a situation with no significant aspects (as per continual improvement commitment) Significance criteria change over time; all relative. Should never have a situation with no significant aspects (as per continual improvement commitment) “Aspect” is considered significant although environmental impact is used to make significance determination “Aspect” is considered significant although environmental impact is used to make significance determination Aspects not considered significant will not be carried through the system Aspects not considered significant will not be carried through the system Significant aspects affect and drive all other parts of system! “If you must control, it must be significant”. Significant aspects affect and drive all other parts of system! “If you must control, it must be significant”.

Aspects & Impacts Analysis 1. List activities, products & services 2. Identify Aspects of each activity, product or service 3. Identify and list Impacts 4. Rate Significance of Aspects & Impacts -Categorize severity -Determine frequency -Determine risk ranking 5. Categorize environmental consequences 6. Pollution Prevention Assessment 7. Determine objectives & targets 8. Develop Operational Controls