Online version: PDF - DTIE
Online version: PDF - DTIE
Online version: PDF - DTIE
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074<br />
UNIT 4: ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS<br />
COMMON QUESTION Are the services of external consultants required to set<br />
up EMS?<br />
There is always the choice of using external consultants, especially at the<br />
early stages when adequate expertise may not be available in-house. While<br />
external consultants may facilitate the identification and implementation of<br />
cost-effective improvements, their services can be quite expensive, especially<br />
for a small business. External consultants must work closely with employees to<br />
provide training and build in-house expertise.<br />
Conducting the Environment Status Review<br />
An environment status review is similar to a SWOT analysis. It identifies the<br />
environment-related strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of a business<br />
by assessing:<br />
• How and where resources are used;<br />
• How and where waste is generated;<br />
• Which codes and standards are being violated in daily business<br />
practices.<br />
The Environment Status Review involves data collection, interviews, inspection,<br />
observation, and review of existing documents and records on resource/materials<br />
use and waste output. The objective is to gather baseline data to:<br />
• Establish environment management objectives and targets;<br />
• Identify the best areas to start EMS that will bring both business and<br />
environment benefits.<br />
It is best to begin with the documentary evidence and supplement this information<br />
with data gathered through interviews, observation and inspection.<br />
EMS in a hospitality business is based on nine action areas:<br />
• Reduce water use;<br />
• Reduce waste water output;<br />
• Reduce energy use;<br />
• Reduce waste;<br />
• Purchase environmentally-preferable products;<br />
• Lower emissions, including ozone-depleting substances;<br />
• Improve indoor air quality;<br />
• Reduce noise;<br />
• Monitor and document environment performance.<br />
S<br />
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2<br />
A series of fact sheets and environment status review checklists for each of the<br />
above areas are given below. (The fact sheets contain important background<br />
information for an environment review). Neither the fact sheets nor the review<br />
checklists are fully comprehensive; they have been developed to demonstrate the<br />
type of background data and issues that should be considered in an environment<br />
status review.