Neste artigo s\u00e3o apresentados os principais resultados das discuss\u00f5es atuais sobre a performance ambiental. E s\u00e3o apontados os requisitos da BS 7750 e das Normas da EMAS relacionadas a este trabalho.<\/p>\n
ABSTRACT
\nExisting standards of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) – BS 7750 and EMAS (The Eco Management and Audit
\nScheme) – put strong emphasis on organizations environmental performance. Meanwhile, ISO TC 207 dedicates a specific
\nsubcommittee, coordinated by the USA representative, to develop standards to environmental performance evaluation.
\nThis fact is related to these standards objectives: to provide a system to ensure and demonstrate compliance with stated
\npolicy, and ensure and demonstrate continual improvement of environmental performance. Furthermore it is important to
\nensure credibility of the environmental certification and accreditation system, especially on that polemic and multidisciplinary
\nsubject.
\nConsidering the complexity of interrelation between organizations and the environment, methodologies to caracterize and
\nevaluate environmental performance have become very important to their strategic planning.
\nOn this paper, will be presented the main results of actual discussions about environmental performance, and wiIl be pointed
\nout the requirements of BS 7750 and EMAS standards related to this subject.
\nINTRODUCTION
\nOn the last years have been created many management tools and programs related to environmental protection, following
\nsociety concern about this subject. Among them it can be emphasized the Responsible Care Program, International Chamber
\nof Commerce (ICC) Business Charter for Sustainable Development, Environmental Auditing Programs and the EMS
\nCertification.
\nInto these management tools and programs it can be identified the concept of environmental performance (EP) improvement.
\nOn the ICC Business Charter for Sustainable Development, for example, it was defined 4 evolution levels on environmental
\nprotection, from legal compliance (level 1) to total quality approach (level 4). Besides, it was defined a management tool to
\nevaluate EP – The ESAP (Environmental Self Assessment Program).
\nIn the Responsible Care Program elements is being also considered a criteria to evaluate EP.
\nEMS standards, on the other hand, are being caracterized as EP standards, based on environments effects\/impacts.
\nThe actual discussions on EMS standards concentrate strongly on the way to evaluate the EP. On this paper it will be analised
\nthe main topics of this discussions, related to ISO 14000, BS 7750, and related to existing EMS certification criteria, especially
\nthe NACCB (National Accreditation Council for Certification – Great Britain).
\nPERFORMANCE ON BS 7750 ST ANDARD
\nBS 7750 scope consider that “the standard does not itself state specific environmental performance criteria, but requires
\norganizations to formulate policies and objectives taking into account information about significant environmental effects”.
\nThe concept of EP is, therefore, related to the management of environmental effects.
\nThe BS 7750 definition of continual improvement show it too:
\n“Year-on-year enhancement of overall environmental performance, not necessarily in all areas of activity, resulting from
\ncontinuous efforts to improve in line with environmental policy. This enhancement will, where appropriate, be achieved by
\nmeasures such as:
\na) Developments in products, services, processes and facilities;
\nb) Enhanced product quality, operational efficiency and resource utilization;
\nThe application of measures, with a view to reducing adverse environmental effects to levels not exceeding those
\ncorresponding to economically viable application of best available technology”.
\nBS 7750 main requirements related to EP are diffused on different item:
\nEnvironmental Policy – it shall include a commitment to continual improvement of environmental performance;
\nEnvironmental Objectives and targets – they “shall quantify wherever practicable the commitment to continual improvement in
\nenvironmental performance over defined time-scales”.
\nOperation Control – “criteria for performance, which shall be stipulated in written standards”.
\nIt is important to emphasize that BS 7750 “does not establish absolute requirements for EP, beyond compliance with
\napplicable legislation and regulations, and a commitment to continual improvement”.
\nIt is useful to say that applicable legislation refers to the federal, state and city ones related to the organization activities and
\nenvironmental significant effects.
\nIt means that the organization itself determines its EP improvement rhythm, based on its significant effects, specific conditions,
\nits financial conditions and its commitment to continual improvement of EP, expressed on its Environmental Policy.
\nPERFORMANCE ON EMAS STANDARD
\nThe European Eco Management and Audit Scheme – EMAS has its principles and bases established by the Regulation (CEE)
\nNumber 1836\/93, of 29\/06\/93.
\nThis regulation considered 18 months, after its publication, to structure the certification and accreditation framework. In fact,
\nthe system was put on practice on April\/95, 21 months after its publication.
\nThe regulation states, as its objectives:
\n– Evaluation of organization EP’s;
\n– Gives information to the public about this EP.
\nEMAS adopts as its EMS reference the BS 7750 standard. Thus, it contains basically the same requirements that the British
\none. However, it establishes an additional requirement related to the publication of an Environmental Statement, which must
\nbe verified after each individual audit or audit cycle. This environmental statement shall include:
\n– A description of the installation activities;
\n– A general view of the significant environmental aspects:
\n– A brief of the quantitative data related to the environmental aspects;
\n– Other factors related to the environmental management;
\n– A presentation of the environmental policy, program and management system;
\n– Next statement presentation date;
\n– Identification of the accredited environmental verifier.
\nBesides, it must be presented annually an simplified environmental statement including, at least, a brief of quantitative data of
\nenvironmental aspects.
\nPERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS ON EMS ACCREDITATION CRITERIA
\nEMS certification involves a bigger complexity when talking about EP evaluation (EPE). On one side, if the certificate assures
\nfull legal compliance, it results duplication of inspection and enforcement activities of the environmental agencies, with no
\nauthority to do that.
\nOn the other side, a certification assessment concerned only with systems aspects (not considering EP), would result on lose
\nof certificate credibility to the public, because it can be given to an organization that doesn’t comply with applicable legislation.
\nThe criteria that is being adapted by European accreditation entities (EAC – European Accreditation of Certification, NACCB –
\nGreat Britain and the Dutch RVC – Raad vor Certificatie) considers an intermediate solution between the two extremes: the
\ncertificate assures that the operator knows the applicable legislation and regulations; communicates itself with environmental
\nlicensing agencies in the event of any fail to meet the license requirements; records properly EP and takes adequate
\ncorrective actions when necessary.
\nThus, it would be a non conformity:
\n– Absence of notifications to the environmental licensing agency in cases of fail to comply with the license requirements;
\n– Conscious incorrect statements by the company to the public;
\n– Structural situations like, for instance, absence of legal parameter records, or absence of adequate technical means to its
\nmeasurement;
\n– Absence of corrective\/preventive actions to deal properly with legal non conformities.
\nThe NACCB criteria requires, with relation to EP, that the “certification body must (…) have the competence to determine
\nwhether:
\n– Performance in the areas of significant environmental effects is being monitored;
\n– The results are being appropriately reviewed and analyzed;
\n– Appropriate corrective action is being taken;
\n– The links are c1early evident between environmental effects, policy, objectives, responsibilities, programmes\/procedures,
\nperformance records, audit and review”.
\nAccording to this criteria, the “certification body must also be competent to:
\n– Interrogate for completeness the operator’ s register of legislative, regulatory and other policy requirements, so as to be able
\nto assess whether the policy and objectives have been soundly reached as the basis for its improvement programme; (\u2026)
\n– Establish that the operator’s objectives and targets for improvement take into account (or provide justification for not so
\ndoing) the following key factor in Annex A4 of BS 7750:
\nThe likely environmental significance of the effect in question, in relation both to other effects of the organization, and to
\neffects from other sources upon the environmental medium or target organism\/ecosystem in question;
\nb) Any regulatory requirements relating to the effect in question;
\nc) The extent of concern of other interested parties about effects of the type in question;
\nd) Existing knowledge, in the organization or elsewhere, about the effect”
\nPERFORMANCE ON ISO 14000 STANDARDS
\nISO 14000 series, through its distincts standards, intend to deal with EP deeply that the others EMS standards. For this
\nreason, it was created a specific subcommittee (SC4) encharged of creating criterias to EP.
\nTalking about the ISO 14001 standard – Specification for Environmental Management Systems, it can be told that its
\nrequirements are the same as the BS 7750 ones. The recommendations from the ISO 14000 Standard EMS – General
\nGuidelines and Principles Systems and Supporting Techniques, includes additional considerations about the development of
\nEnvironmental Performance Indicators (EPI’ s), related to the environmental significant effects. It gaves examples of this EPI’
\ns, such as: tonnes of raw material used; waste produced per tonne of finished product, number of environmental
\nincidents\/accidents; investment in environmental protection. Besides, this standard suggest that EMS implementation consider
\n6 levels (the 4 more evoluted aline with that included on the ICC Business Chart for Sustainable Development).
\nThis approach of EP on TC 207 will be complemented by the future standards ISO 14030, that deal specificly with EPE.
\nInicially, it would be developed 2 standards on SC4, (generic and industry sector EPE), which changed to EMS EPE standard
\n(working group #1) and working on organizations for the environment (working group #2). The development rate of these
\nstandards is slower than the EMS ones. It is intended to aprove these standards at 1998.
\nAs it is a new subject all over the world, it was suggested by SC4 that it would be done an application pilot program on this
\nstandards before its presentation as a final draft.
\nSome conceptuals matters are being discussed by SC4 members:
\na) Is an EPE a system or a tool?
\nb) Is an EMS a measurement\/evaluation system or a system for setting strategies?
\nc) What is the role of EPE within an EMS?
\nQuestions a) and b) linked with EPE concept and amplitud will certainly define the role it has on EMS. If EPE is looked as a
\ntool to measure\/evaluate EP against planned conditions, it will limit itself to the verification activities and comparison with
\nestablished objectives, targets and control criteria. If it is focused as a system to define, evaluate and review objectives and
\ntargets, EPE will play a central role on EMS, supporting continual improvement cycle.
\nIt seems that actual discussion on SC4 lead to an EPE 100ked as a tool to measure, evaluate and describe EP against
\ndefined criteria. For this objective, the methodology will be based on the selection of EPI’ s, which will measure EP against
\ndefined standards, showing improvements opportunities. Such reference standards may be obtained, for instance, using
\navailable technology, best industry practices, bench marking the view of interested parties, existing legal standards.
\nSome principles related to the EPI’ s selection will be considered on these standards, assuming that they are:
\nRelevant to the interested parties
\nPractical and viable
\nObjectives
\nValue neutral
\nReproducible
\nCONCLUSION
\nEMS standards put strong emphasys on EP, that requires an organization to fully comply with legal requirements, and
\ndemonstrate its commitment to continual improvement over time.
\nProbably firsts certified EMS’s will be more compliance oriented. However, with the experience gained in the following years
\nEP will go far and far beyond legal compliance. At that moment, principles and methodologies to plan and evaluate EP will
\nplay a very important role to optimize EMS, and bring a cost-effective continual improvement.
\nBIBLIOGRAPHY
\n– BSI, BS 7750\/94 – Specification on Environmental Management Systems
\n– Conselho das Comunidade Europ\u00e9ias, Regulamento (CEE) n\u00b0 1836\/93, de 29\/06\/93 in Jornal Oficial das Comunidades
\nEurop\u00e9ias, n\u00ba 2 168\/1, 10.07. 93.
\n– Global Environmental Management Iniciative, Environmental Self Assessment Program.
\n– InternationaI Environmental Systems Update, Vo1.2, Number 2, Feb.95
\n– ISO TC 207\/SCI, Committee Draft ISO\/CD 14000.
\n– TC 207\/SCl, Committee Draft ISO\/CD 14001.
\n– National Accreditation Council for Certification Bodies – NACCB, Environmental Accreditation Criteria, Jan\/95.<\/p>\n
Performance on Environmental Management Systems: a Global View Artigo publicado e apresentado no International Symposium on Technology Transfer IAWQ\/ABES, 1995 \u2013 Neste artigo s\u00e3o apresentados os principais resultados das discuss\u00f5es atuais sobre a performance ambiental. E s\u00e3o apontados os requisitos da BS 7750 e das Normas da EMAS relacionadas a este trabalho. ABSTRACT Existing standards<\/p>\n