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Promoting Environmental Management Systems (EMS) in the Agribusiness sector
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Agribusiness Links
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Environmental Management Systems: Systematically Improving your Performance
In October 2003, Sector Strategies released a brochure highlighting the benefits of EMS implementation at meat processing facilities. Environmental Management Systems: Systematically Improving your Performance (PDF) (12 pp, 5.7MB, About PDF) was created with help from Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Waste Reduction Center, and six meat processing facilities that have already adopted EMSs.
Black and white version (PDF) (12 pp, 1MB, About PDF)
EMS Implementation Guide for the Meat Processing Industry
This Guide has been designed to assist meat processing facilities with a 10 module, step-by-step EMS implementation process. This Guide should be used in sequence, as each module was designed to be a stepping-stone towards a fully implemented EMS.
This Guide was developed for the meat processing sector with its content relying heavily on EPA's Design for Environment Program for Integrated Environmental Management Systems and NSF International's Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations. The content of the Guide was created as a collaborative effort by EPA's Sector Strategies Program, ICF Consulting Inc. and Abt Associates Inc., the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Waste Reduction Assistance Program, the American Meat Institute, and the American Association of Meat Processors.
Included in the appendices are a series of workshop/training presentations to be used in conjunction with the Guide to assist with implementation of the EMS. These presentations are designed for each of the modules presented in the Guide and include content related activities. It is suggested that the workshops/training be held in accordance with the work being completed on each of the modules. The workshops/training provide an opportunity to ask direct questions, obtain feedback, and share experiences related to EMS implementation with other facilities. A number of tools, including sample procedures, templates, and forms, are included in each module in order to facilitate implementation. It is intended that these tools be utilized and adapted to your specific facility.
| EMS Implementation Guide for the Meat Processing Industry |
|---|
| Cover (PDF) (1 pg, 196K, About PDF) |
| Complete Guide (PDF) (240 pp, 587K, About PDF) |
| 1. Getting Started |
| 2. Get Ready |
| 3. Identifying Environmental Aspects and Impacts |
| 4. Determining Significant Environmental Aspects and Setting Objectives and Targets |
| 5. Environmental Management Programs (EMPs) |
| 6. Supporting EMS Elements |
| 7. EMS Documentation and Records |
| 8. Monitoring and Measurement and Corrective and Preventive Action |
| 9. Continuous Improvement |
| 10. Lessons Learned |
| Appendices for the EMS Implementation Guide |
|---|
| 1. Workshop Training: Getting Started (PDF) (58 pp, 291K, About PDF) |
| 2. Workshop Training: Get Ready (PDF) (31 pp, 150K, About PDF) |
| 2. Get Ready Case Studies (PDF) (23 pp, 82K, About PDF) |
| 3. Workshop Training: Identifying Environmental Aspects and Impacts (PDF) (60 pp, 347K, About PDF) |
| 4. Workshop Training: Determining Significant Environmental Aspects and Setting Objectives and Targets (PDF) (58 pp, 255K, About PDF) |
| 5. Workshop Training: Environmental Management Programs (EMPs) (PDF) (33 pp, 240K, About PDF) |
| 6. Workshop Training: Supporting EMS Elements (PDF) (44 pp, 254K, About PDF) |
| 7. Workshop Training: EMS Documentation and Records (PDF) (29 pp, 147K, About PDF) |
| 8. Workshop Training: Monitoring and Measurement and Corrective and Preventive Action (PDF) (62 pp, 273K, About PDF) |
| 8. Workshop Activities (PDF) (17 pp, 55K, About PDF) |
| 9. Workshop Training: Continuous Improvement (PDF) (22 pp, 122K, About PDF) |