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- Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
- EMS Basic Information
- EMS Training
- EMS Success Stories
- Waste Management Related Initiatives
EMS Key References
This page shows examples of, and links to, guides and resources for all facilities, federal facilities, and specific sectors. Many of these are EPA resources.
- General Guidance for All Facilities
- General Guidance for Federal Agencies
- EPA Programs that Address EMS
- EPA Voluntary Partnership Programs
General Guidance for All Facilities
- CEC Principles: Improving Environmental Performance and Compliance: Ten Elements of Effective Environmental Management Systems Commission for Environmental Cooperation, June 2000. This document sets out what the three North American governments have agreed is important to address in implementing EMSs. It is intended to assist EMS users make responsible decisions and take actions to achieve better environmental performance through maintaining compliance with environmental laws and moving beyond compliance.
- Compliance-Focused Environmental Management System - Enforcement Agreement Guidance - Since the late 1980s, civil multimedia compliance investigations conducted by the EPA National Enforcement Investigations Center (NEIC) have increasingly involved identifying causes of observed noncompliance. In a significant number of cases, the causes arise from inadequate EMSs. NEIC, in response, developed key elements for a compliance-focused EMS (CFEMS) model, which have been for EMSs in a number of settlement agreements. The purpose of this guidance is to present those key elements and to show how they can be incorporated into a settlement agreement.
- Design for Environment (DFE) Guide: Integrated Environmental Management Systems (IEMS) Implementation Guide. This guide is intended for small and medium sized companies and associations, but it is also useful for large companies, federal agencies and facilities, and business educators. It offers a step-by-step approach to help organizations develop and implement an IEMS. Its simple, thorough directions are clear even to those unfamiliar with environmental management planning. The IEMS approach described in this document follows the guidelines of ISO 14001-the official international standard for EMS-but enhances this standard by emphasizing chemical risk management, use of cleaner technologies, and pollution prevention. This guide is most effective when used in tandem with a series of other essential IEMS tools.
General Guidance for Federal Agencies
- An Environmental Management System Review of the National Park Service: Based on the Code of Environmental Management Principles - This report details an analysis of EMSs within the National Park Service conducted by EPA and the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) using the CEMP as the comparative criteria. The report concludes with findings and recommendations for improving EMSs within the Park Service.
- Environmental Management Review (EMR) National Report: Lessons Learned in Conducting EMRs at Federal Facilities - This report gives an insight into EPA's voluntary EMR program, describes the process of an EMR and how these reviews can benefit federal facility managers. The report also provides information on the results of and lessons learned from EMRs conducted at federal facilities during EPA's EMR Pilot Program which began in May 1996 and ended in September 1998.
- Environmental Management Systems Primer for Federal Facilities - A guide developed jointly by EPA and DOE designed to help federal agency managers who are considering adopting an environmental management system at a federal facility.
- Implementation Guide for the Code of Environmental Management Principles for Federal Agencies (CEMP) - A guide to assist federal facility managers and staff in implementing the CEMP at the installation level. This document describes each of the CEMP principles and performance objectives and how the CEMP relates to environmental management systems and ties into other EPA programs.
- The Compliance Assistance Program provides assistance to States, tribes, municipalities, citizens, and the regulated community. This includes working with EPA program offices to develop plain language regulations and compliance assistance tools (such as the Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse and the Environmental Management Application Matrix); developing flexible compliance policies that encourage the use of compliance/technical assistance programs; promoting pollution prevention innovative technology and providing compliance monitoring assistance. The Compliance Assistance Clearinghouse contains over 120 records of contacts, tools, policies and other items of interest all dealing with EMSs).
- The Design for Environment Program partners with stakeholders to help businesses help the environment. DfE projects help businesses design products, processes, and management systems that are cost-effective, cleaner, and safer for workers and the public. The DfE goals are to encourage businesses to incorporate environmental information into their decision criteria, and effect behavior change to facilitate continuous environmental improvement. To accomplish these goals DfE and its partners use several approaches including cleaner technology and life-cycle assessments, environmental management systems, formulation improvement, best practices, and green supply chain initiatives. To date, the DfE Program has brought environmental leadership to over 2 million workers at over 170,000 facilities. Small- and medium-sized businesses recognize DfE as a unique source of reliable environmental (as well as performance and cost) information. The Design for the Environment Program involves voluntary partnerships with industry and other stakeholders to develop cleaner, safer alternatives to existing products and processes.
- EPA Region 1 EMS work includes state EMS pilots, a municipality EMS pilot, EMR reviews for federal facilities, development of an eco-industrial park, and development of enforcement settlements including EMSs.
- EPA Region 9 is involved in a series of pilot projects to evaluate the impacts of EMSs, including work with the metal finishing industry and small businesses such as industrial laundries.
- The Office of the Small Business Ombudsman and Small Business Division serves as a conduit for small businesses to access EPA and facilitates communications between the small business community, including national trade associations, and the Agency. The Office reviews and resolves disputes with EPA, promotes understanding of Agency policy and small business needs and concerns, and distributes regulatory and technical assistance information.
- The Office of Water is involved in a number of EMS activities including a pilot with the Global Environmental Technology Foundation with local governments, initiatives with agricultural sectors such as the egg producers, research (with others) on the effects of EMSs, and work on guidance such as the SME Guide. The Public Entity Environmental Management System Resource (PEER) Center funded by EPA's Office of Water through a grant to the Global Environment and Technology Foundation, is a one-stop shop for EMS information and resources for public entities. While the Web site is intended for public entities, it should be useful for any organization developing and implementing an EMS.
- The National Environmental Performance Track Program was established by EPA in June 2000 to recognize and reward companies and public entities that consistently exceed regulatory requirements, work closely with their community, and excel in protecting the environment and public health. Facilities across the nation, of all types and sizes, have successfully qualified for membership in Performance Track. To join, an organization needs to demonstrate that it has: a proven record of regulatory compliance; a commitment to continuous improvement; a mechanism for public outreach; and an Environmental Management System. As a part of this effort, the Performance Track Assistance Program is working with trade associations and others to help trade associations work with their members to develop EMSs and take other steps to meet the requirements of the Performance Track Program. Activities include development of tools to assist trade associations in developing EMS guidance for their members, optional review of association guidance documents to ensure conformance with Performance Track EMS criteria, assistance in the revision of these guidelines, development of EMS marketing materials, and revision of the EMS Web site.
- The Pollution Prevention
Program deals with a variety of issues including reducing risks
from highly toxic substances that build up to significant levels in
food chains; promoting environmentally preferable purchasing and labeling;
facilitating changes in finance and business management; the Design
for Environment (referenced above) and Green Chemistry Industry Partnerships;
and pollution prevention grants to promote pollution prevention at the
state, tribal and local level. Some of this funding is used to support
the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange
, a national network of regional centers dedicated to improving the
dissemination of pollution prevention information in the service provider
community. Information accessed through the Exchange may be useful to
those developing/implementing an EMS. - The Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) is a free, nonregulatory service of the U.S EPA dedicated to reducing or eliminating industrial pollutants through technology transfer, education, and public awareness. In addition to information regarding available P2 documents, references, and conferences, the PPIC can also answer questions about pollution prevention or refer you to appropriate contacts for additional information. P2 information obtained through the PPIC can be very useful in developing/implementing an EMS.
- Industry Sector Performance Program will partner with EPA programs and regions, states, and select trade associations to craft solutions to sector-specific problems. The program will consist of the following elements:
- Sector point-of-contact -OPEI staff will serve as liaisons for the sectors, developing expertise in the environmental operations and concerns of each industry. Staff points-of-contact will assemble informal cross-EPA teams to help plan and implement initiatives with each sector.
- Promoting environmental management systems -Sector teams will work with trade associations to develop a strategic plan for delivering needed outreach, training resources, and support to build a 'business case' for EMS.
- Overcoming regulatory or other barriers to performance improvement
Sector teams will work with trade associations, states, and interested public groups to address the most significant impediments to better industry-wide performance. Regulatory or permit changes may be accompanied by compliance and technical assistance. - Performance measurement -Sector teams will explore creative ways to measure and report industry-wide environmental and economic progress using performance indicators, success stories, and other tools.
EPA Voluntary Partnership Programs
- Sector Environmental Strategies,
Tools, and Resources (SectorSTAR)
an on-line source of information on industry sector-based programs at
the federal and state levels. State-Scan , a directory of information on industry and business-oriented environmental
programs in all 50 states, is also accessible via the SectorSTAR Web
site. This site is run by the Global Environment & Technology Foundation,
with funding support from EPA.
- The Public Entity Environmental Management System Resource (PEER) Center funded by EPA's Office of Water through a grant to the Global Environment and Technology Foundation, is a one-stop shop for EMS information and resources for public entities. While the Web site is intended for public entities, it should be useful for any organization developing and implementing an EMS.
