Determining EMS Significant Aspects

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Determining EMS Significant Aspects

• A Key Step in EMS Design
• Greg Allen
• EPA Region III, allen.greg_at_epa.gov

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EMS Significant AspectsISO140011996
4.2 Policy
4.6 Management Review
4.3 Planning 4.3.1 Environmental Aspects
4.5 Checking and Corrective Actions
4.4 Implementation and Operation
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EMS Significant AspectsISO 14001 Reference
Planning 4.3.1 - identify the environmental
aspects to determine those which have or can
have significant impacts on the environment. (ISO
140011996)
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EMS Significant AspectsObjective of Significance
Step

• Significance Determination Objective - To
  determine those aspects that pose substantial
  risk to the organization and/or the environment
  and, therefore, require careful management.
• Where are we having the greatest environmental
  impact ?

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EMS Significant AspectsCategories of
Significance Criteria

• Ability to control and influence
• Frequency and severity
• Regulated
• Organizational priorities
• Concerns of interested parties

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EMS Significant AspectsSignificance Values

• Ability to control and influence
• Do we have at least partial control and influence
  over activities ? Yes ? No ?
• Scale and severity
• High-Medium-Low, numerical range
• Regulated
• Federal, State, or Local ?

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EMS Significant AspectsHints and Follow Through

• Determination of environmental aspects should be
  exhaustive thoroughness will be beneficial
  later.
• Have we determined the areas where we have
  substantial environmental impacts ?
• Write procedure for significance determination
• Periodically review activities, aspects, and
  significance

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EMS Significant AspectsReferences

• EMS Guide for Small and Medium Sized
  Organizations
• www.epa.gov/ems
• DfE EMS Guide
• http//www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/tools/iemsguide.ht
  m