when all of the oceans and lakes are polluted
when the greenhouse effect takes its toll
and temperatures rise and melt the poles

the blue birds stop singing
and trees stop flowering

the moon decides not to rise
and mother nature up and dies

caterpillars turn to stone
and the world finds itself alone

and all the fuel is finally depleted
all the farmers chores are completed
and the Earth stands still, devoid of weather ..

then it is too late, my friend

- forwarded by Kathy in USA, author unknown

- Greenpeace, India


INTRODUCTION TO ISO 14000

The ISO 14001 standard, published in September 1996, provides a model for establishing a management system that is focused on controlling and improving a company's impacts on the environment. In this session, environmental management systems, tools, and techniques are described as a framework for continual improvement of environmental performance, including compliance to environmental regulations. Effectively applied, ISO 14001 promises cost savings, waste reduction, energy efficiency, resource productivity, and improvements in public relations and liability. This session will also address the commonalities between ISO 9001 and ISO 14000, as well as what companies should consider when starting their implementation of an ISO 14001 Environ-mental Management System (EMS).


WHAT IS ISO 14000?

ISO 14000 is a series of standards describing EMS, tools, and techniques. One of these standards, ISO 14001, is the internationally accepted model to follow for implementation of an EMS. It is an auditable standard similar to ISO 9001, and includes a framework for continual improvement of environmental performance, control, and regulatory compliance. ISO 14001 is not a government standard, nor is it focused primarily on regulatory compliance. It is a systematic approach to improving all aspects of environmental management in a company, and is built on a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing, and improving the actions that a company takes to meet its environmental obligations. Companies who have implemented an ISO 9001 quality system are committed to continual improvement, and ISO 14001 is a natural extension of that commitment. Many of the elements of ISO 14001 have similar requirements to ISO 9000, including the need for a policy statement, document control, management review, internal audits, record keeping, and training. The additional requirements for ISO 14001 include making commitments to compliance with environmental regulations and to the prevention of pollution, and a formal process of planning environmental improvement and control programs.


WHY SEEK REGISTRATION TO ISO 14001?

Having said that, why are many manufacturers getting registered to the ISO 14001 standard? Some of the motivators for registration include a desire to optimize management efficiency, reduce costs, limit liability exposure, and solve regulatory problems. In addition, improving public image and doing business in Europe and Asia where ISO 14001 is often a requirement are also important reasons for companies to become registered.

Tremendous savings can be realized from cost saving opportunities associated with reducing waste, especially the often-overlooked material wastes of an operation. (In the past, these wastes have often been considered "the cost of doing business.") Improved energy efficiencies, less water use, scrap reduction, solid and hazardous waste reduction, a streamlined permitting and reporting process, and even avoidance of compliance fines could easily add up to significant annual savings.

WHERE DOES A COMPANY BEGIN? IS IT RELEVANT TO INDIA?

There are several steps companies must take when they decide to become registered to ISO 14001, and the first and most important is to obtain top management commitment. Without it, EMS implementation efforts will most likely be doomed. Top management should define the environmental policy statement, which becomes the basis for developing an EMS. Management also needs to clearly communicate that policy to everyone in the organization, let-ting employees know that environmental issues will be taken seriously throughout the company.

Design and write the policies and procedures for your EMS based on what you are already doing to man-age
your environmental impacts. By doing this, most companies avoid "re-inventing the wheel," and usually find obvious opportunities to improve operational and documentation efficiencies, simply by examining their current operations in the new light of the ISO 14001 standard. These early cost-saving successes can fuel and sustain the effort to complete the ISO 14001 registration process.

Once the basic EMS is in place, exercise the requirement for management review and the related commit-ments stated in the environmental policy, and continually look for opportunities to improve your system.

-ASQ's 54th Annual Quality Congress Proceedings.

iNDIA requires to be alert to the environmental impacts of growing industrialization. Very often in India, we import second plants which are not in a condition to deliver fuel efficient processes and obsolete technologies. We will pay in the long run when these plants are made to shut down by court rulings.

Others : CE Marking | HACCP | ISO 9000 | eSCM | QS 9000 & ISO / TS 16949 | ISO 14000 | SA 8000