What Is the ISO 14001:2015
Environmental Management System (EMS) – ISO 14001:2015 has become an integral activity of an organization when the organization is looking for management of environmental issues the organization and compliance obligations. Such as the prevention of pollution, control of natural resources depletion, waste management, the saving of energy, and meeting the environmental regulations of the regulatory body, etc.
Now Comes Questions What is ISO 14001 -Environmental Management Certification and how it helps the organization demonstrate compliance with environmental compliance and controls the significant environmental aspects – which has the potential to create environmental pollution etc?
When the organization adopts the Environmental Management System -ISO 14001 for implementation in the organization. It provides the following opportunity to the organization, as requirements of ISO 14001.
Identify the Environmental Aspects
Identifying the environmental aspects of Product, Process, and activities which creates the pollution
For Example
- air emissions
- effluent discharges
- waste arising
- land contamination Use of resources (eg, water, fuel, and natural resources and materials)
- product design — to improve environmental performance or extend the life of Products
- packaging — to minimize the use of material resources and Energy
- land use — improve biodiversity and wildlife habitats on-site
What is the Environmental Impact?
The environmental impact is the potential environmental impact from the associated product, processes, or activities (Environmental aspects) that may adversely affect the environment and human health “change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization’s a product/ process/ Activities/Services
Do the Environmental Aspect and Impact Analysis?
Environmental aspects and impact analysis are the studies of an organization’s activities, products, processes, and services that affect the environment.
While doing the Study of Environmental aspects and impact analysis, the organization may consider the following points
The Environmental Aspects are
- Activities – Direct / Indirect
- Conditions of Environmental Aspects – Normal/Abnormal/ Emergency
- Impact Types – Air Pollution / Water Pollution/ Soil Pollution/Resources Depletion / Noise Pollution / Waste Management/ Human Health affect / Effects of Flora, Fauna or Global issue/ Human Discomfort
- Quantity – Excessive / High/ Moderate/ Low
- Occurrence – Several Times a day/ Once in a Week / Once in a Month / Once in a Year
- Legislation – Legal Noncompliance
So, for the organization implementing the Environmental Management System and preparing for ISO 14001 Certification – Then the Environmental Aspects and Impact Analysis is the key requirement of ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification. Also, it helps the organization to prevent the pollution generated by the organization’s activities/ products/processes/ services
Identify activities impacts
- Extracted resources used in the form of raw materials and energy — can give rise to land degradation and depletion of natural resources
- Emissions to air discharges to water and waste arising — that may cause pollution
- Storage, cleaning, assembly, and packaging — that can also cause pollution or loss of materials and other resources
Importance of the Environmental Aspect and impact analysis.
- Better environmental planning
- Selection of an appropriate methods/ Process/ products/ Raw material / Technology
- Reduces the waste generations
- Reduces risks and impacts on the environment and People
- Compliance with environmental regulations reduces damage to the environment and disruption to Communities
- It also avoids the likelihood of penalties, fines, and loss of trust and credibility.
Apart from Environmental aspects and impact analysis there are many other key requirements of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System are
- Identifying the issues may be internal or External which is affecting the organization’s Environmental Management
- Compliance Obligations – Identify the Legal requirements / Environmental regulations Applicable to the organization and other requirements.
- Selection of Raw Materials / Designing of products considering the end of life of products. So that at the end of the life of products, it does not become a significant environmental aspect.
- Preparing for Potential Emergency Situation
All above explained are the key requirements of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
When an organization preparing for ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification can follow the below given ISO 14001 Certification process, which could help the organization better understating about ISO 14001 Certification process.
ISO 14001 Certification Process
- Implement ISO 14001 Environmental Management System
- Conduct the Internal Audit
- Conduct Management Review Meeting
- Apply to ISO Certification Body for ISO 14001 Certification
- Get ISO 14001 Certified
Who provides the ISO 14001 Certification in India?
We are an accredited ISO Certification Body in India providing Management System Certification (ISO Certification) on ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 22000, and ISO 27001 Certification. So, anyone looking for ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification may contact us.