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Environmental Management Systems:
Frequently Asked Questions
Purpose
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental
Services (DES) is interested in helping companies with preventing pollution
and saving money while helping the environment. An Environmental
Management System (EMS)  is
a system that shows a company exceeds compliance with all regulations,
and will continue to meet the requirements while still improving their
pollution prevention techniques. With an EMS, the facility can easily
save money and the environment at the same time, with no extra work.
This fact sheet further explains EMSs and their relationship to pollution
prevention.
What is an EMS?
Environmental awareness is shaping the actions
of today's leading corporations. One tool used by corporations
to  manage
and improve their environmental impacts, and improve their financial performance,
is an Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS is a comprehensive,
organized, and documented system for an organization to manage all of its
actions that affect the environment. It is a system that requires
planning, reviewing, revising and improving a company's method
of maintaining compliance and reducing waste. When a company spends
the time to work towards an EMS, the results are tremendous for the environment
and company profits. An EMS encourages companies to get organized
and look at pollution prevention solutions for their waste streams.
This also allows the company to learn more about their waste streams, for
example the effects it has on the environment and how well it benefits
both the Earth and the company when pollution prevention steps are taken.
The most commonly used EMS is the ISO 14001 system.
Is my business too small to have the resources for an EMS?
Many small businesses may feel they do not significantly impact the environment
and do not have the resources to significantly improve their impact.
However, everyone impacts the environment, and with proper planning and
organization, even a small business can make a tremendous impact on their
profits while helping the environment. The standards for an EMS are
made so that any organization from any field or size can implement one.
The only characteristics a company needs for success is organization and
a lot of planning. Pollution prevention planning can be an important
first step.
How does an EMS relate to Pollution Prevention (P2)?
Pollution prevention is the practice of reducing
or eliminating wastes or pollutants at the source. To do this, companies
should take the following six steps:
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Get Organized. Create a planning committee that is composed of workers
from different departments that can provide different expertise on the
P2 topic.
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Analyze Processes. Inspect each sub-process. Pinpoint energy
and material inputs, determine the sources of waste, calculate the total
cost, set priorities, and start on the projects.
-
Identify Alternatives. Create a variety of ideas for alternative
methods to replace the current processes.
-
Evaluate Alternatives. Determine whether the alternatives will be
effective, implementable, and economical to the company.
-
Implement Projects. Plan on when the projects will be started, start
the project, and obtain feedback from employees.
-
Measure Progress. Collect data to get information on how well the
project is working.
 These steps
are simply the basis of an EMS. If a facility is involved with P2
practices, then it is probably very close to obtaining an EMS. As
a company finds ways to stop pollution before it is created, it is also
coming into compliance with regulations.
What will a company gain by getting an EMS?
 Companies
that have EMSs have found many cost saving opportunities, along with appealing
to customers, gaining a market advantage, and improving their public image.
With an EMS, companies have been able to control their liabilities, which
makes both the employers and employees happy, as well as their insurers.
Facilities have less of a problem maintaining compliance, which saves
money, time and a lot of hassle. An EMS will also ultimately make
employees know all laws and regulations for their business. All company
obligations will be documented, so the material will be readily available
at any time. Since environmental performance and financial performance
are connected with an EMS, companies can be assured success and growth.
What does ISO certification (or registration) mean?
Any company can claim themselves to be ISO certified,
or they can hire third-party registrars to certify their system.
For example, to be ISO 14001 certified, the business must have:
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An environmental policy, where the business states its commitment to environmental
performance.
-
Planning, where the organization analyzes its impact on the environment.
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Practicing, where the company uses the processes that will help reach environmental
goals.
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Monitoring, where the organization makes sure the goals are being met constantly.
-
Management Review, where the EMS is reviewed to ensure it is effective
and being met.
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Continual improvement, where the company regularly searches for new and
improved ways for eliminating waste streams.
What are the advantages of ISO 14001Certification?
By being ISO 14001 certified, a company is sure
to save money and the environment. That company will also appeal
to customers (some customers are requiring it), and can maintain good public
relations as well as government relations. It is possible to get
insurance at a reasonable cost and reduce incidents that may result in
liability. Lastly, but not least, that company will not have to worry
as much about compliance with regulations, because they will always
be improving their status.
For More Information
If you have questions about Environmental Management Systems, please
contact Bob Minicucci at (603) 271-2941 or email rminicucci@des.state.nh.us.
Any questions or interests about pollution prevention opportunities can
be emailed at nhppp@des.state.nh.
us, or call (603) 271-6460.
ISO 14000 and EMS Assistance Consultants
New England Region
Company Information
(Alphabetical by Firm Name)
Last Update: November 2007
Applied Geosystems
PO Box 460
Greenland, NH 03840-0460
(603) 427-1600; (603) 427-1640 Fax
jtarr@appliedgeosystems.com
www.appliedgeosystems.com |
The Ardmore Group
99 Broad Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 431-1834; (603) 431-2965 Fax
theardmoregroup@comcast.com |
Aries Engineering Inc.
46 South Main St.
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 226-2545
mdonahue@aries-eng.com
tomroy@aries-eng.com |
Atlantic Geoscience Corp.
PO Box 7407
Gilford, NH 03247
(603) 524-8866 ; (603) 524-9777 Fax
jdonohue@geo-science.com
www.geo-science.com |
Camp Dresser & McKee Inc.
1001 Elm St.
Manchester, NH 03101
(603) 222-8300; (603) 645-6891 Fax
diercksje@cdm.com
www.cdm.com/Svcs/EMS/index.htm |
Camp Dresser & McKee Inc.
50 Hampshire St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 452-6338 ; (617) 452-8338 Fax
dentchmd@cdm.com
www.cdm.com |
Cahaly Environmental
111 Kendall Road
Lexington, MA 02421
(781) 860-5240; (781) 860-7261 Fax
cahalyr@ix.netcom.com |
Capaccio Environmental Engineering, Inc.
293 Boston Post Road
Marlborough, MA 01752
(508) 970-0033; (508) 970-0028 Fax
jdufresne@capaccio.com |
Continental Placer Inc.
PO Box 825
Laconia, NH 03247
(603) 524-0811 ; (603) 524-7476 Fax
www.continentalplacer.com |
Earth Tech
161 North State St.
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 226-0940 ; (603) 228-4233 Fax
tmarkey@earthtech.com
www.earthtech.com |
Environmental & Industrial Waste Management
29 Rumford St.
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 224-0563 ; (603) 224-0540 Fax
eiwm@mediaone.net |
Environmental Resources Management
399 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 646-7826 ; (617) 267-6447 Fax
jim_Fitzgerald@erm.com
www.erm.com |
EORM, Inc.
400 West Cummings Park, Suite 5850
Woburn, MA 01801
(781)756-3825
www.eorm.com |
GeoInsight, Inc.
75 Gilcreast Road, Suite 210
Londonderry, NH 03053
(603) 434-3116 x218
www.geoinsightinc.com
cmrawnsley@geoinc.com |
Great Bay Consulting
PO Box 401
Lyndon Center, VT 05850
(802) 272-2773
www.greatbayconsulting.com |
GZA Geoenvironmental Inc.
380 Harvey Rd.
Manchester, NH 03103
(603) 623-3600 ; (603) 624-9463 Fax
bcote@gza.com
www.gza.net |
Haley & Aldrich Inc.
340 Granite St.
Manchester, NH 03102
(603) 625-5353 ; (603) 624-8307 Fax
rrb@haleyaldrich.com
www.haleyaldrich.com |
Harding ESE Inc.
32 DW Highway, Suite 625
Merrimack, NH 03054
(603) 889-3737 ; (603) 880-6111 Fax |
Harper Environmental Associates
1811 Hale Hollow Rd.
Bridgewater Corners, VT 05035
(802) 672-6112 ; (802) 672-6227 Fax
charper@sover.net
www.harperenvironmental.com |
HAZMATEAM Inc.
12 Kimball Hill Rd.
Hudson, NH 03051
(603) 882-1112 ; (603) 882-6512 Fax
hazmateam@earthlink.net
www.hazmateam.com |
Jacques Whitford Co Inc.
75 Pearl St.
Portland, ME 04101
(207) 761-7790 ; (207) 761-7790 Fax
tcoffin@jacqueswhitford.com
www.jacqueswhitford.com |
Lexicon Environmental Assoc Inc.
925 Hempstead Turnpike
Franklin Square, NY 11010
(516) 488-8742 ; (516) 488-8743 Fax
lexiconli@aol.com
www.lexiconenvironmental.com |
Masters Environmental
PO Box 413
Belmont, NH 03220
(603) 267-7368
rebrobst@juno.com |
Al Nierenberg
38 Herrick Road
(978) 887-1223; (978) 887-8668
Fax
Boxford, MA 01921
alnierenberg@attbi.com |
OccuHealth, Inc.
8 Industrial Park Drive
Hooksett, NH 03106-1851
(603) 641-3503; (603) 641-3954 Fax
email@occuhealth.com |
PRIZM, Inc.
106 Birkdale Street
Bedford, NH 03110
(603-472-2554
mailto:dsasseville@prizim-inc.com |
Pteric Associates
PO Box 1292
Nashua, NH 03061-1292
pteric@earthlink.net
www.ptericassociates.com |
SECOR International Inc.
120 South St.
Wrentham, MA 02093
(508) 384-0102 ; (508) 384-0069 Fax
cschultz@secor.com
www.secor.com
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Smart Association Environmental
Consultants
72 North Main St.
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 224-7550 ; (603) 224-7890 Fax
lboutwell@smartenvironmental.com
www.smartenvironmental.com |
T.Quest Systems
139 Isinglass Road
Portland, CT 06480
(860) 342-1457; (203) 699-3321
jeffflynn9@aol.com |
Wellfleet Associates
106 Birkdale Road
Bedford, NH 03110
(603) 472-5684 ; (603) 488-1414 Fax
Wellfleet@attbi.com
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WESTON
1 Wall St.
Manchester, NH 03101
(603) 656-5400 ; (603) 656-5401 Fax
goodwinp@wseinc.com |
This is not a complete list of all consultants available, nor does it imply endorsement from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. August 2005
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