Enviros Learning Text

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Assessment 2 learning Text

Daniel Zinner

August 30, 2013

1 Introduction

I composed this text as I find it a to be an excellent method to learn. Please use at own risk

2 Chimps section(Section A)

2.1 What chimp advised us to learn

Although she screwed us over in the past by telling us to concentrate on a section and not question it, shemight be giving genuine advice this time around. Anyway this is what she asked for us to learn:********************************************************************************

All sections as presented in the bound notes plus the material to be presented by the guest lecturer will beexamined. In these sections make sure you know the following:

2.1.1 Sustainable development

• Sustainable technologies sec1.3.2

• Economic growth environmental constraints and social constraints sec1.4

• Equity and sustainable development sec 1.5

2.1.2 Green engineering

Green engineering principles you need to understand situations where the GE principles are applicable/notapplicable or are supported/violated and be able to give reasons for your answer. PPT slides for this sectioncould be useful.

2.1.3 Life Cycle assessment

• The bound notes, Power point slides and information requested in your LCA project is important

• Given a case study you should be able to identify the basic components of LCA. Therefore, you need tounderstand the typical activities and information required at different phases of LCA.

• Please make sure you know the difference between stages of life cycle of a product (material extraction,manufacturing etc) and stages of life cycle assessment process (Goal/scope, inventory etc).

• You should also know the different types of LCA and where/when they are applied.

2.1.4 Environmental Auditing

• PPT slides are sufficient

• Know how it is assesses environmental performance

• The procedure of conducting it

• Different types

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2.1.5 Environmental Management Systems and ISO 14001

• PPT are sufficient

• Understand information requested in the clauses

• Know how environmental policy is structured and the information required for ISO 14001

• Know how the Environmental Management manual is structured

• Know the operating model of the EMS i.e. the Deming model

2.1.6 Low carbon Economy: Guest Lecturer notes

Make sure you understand the example given in class.********************************************************************************

So with this in retrospect I will now list all sections mentioned and summarise them

2.2 Sustainable development

This is a short summary from the bound notes given to us in class. Every bullet will be a paragraph summarized.

2.2.1 Sustainable technologies (sec1.3.2)

• Sustainable technologies lets us meet our needs with a minimum impact on the environment. Lots of sustainable technology exists but have failed to become wide spread due to social and economic reasons.For example many superior recycling methods exist but are poorly used in many countries.

• Sustainable Technology offers the prospect of reconciling economic development and prosperity with envi-ronmental impacts, improving health, expanding knowledge, stimulating economic growth and ensuringa better quality of life. Leading these transformations are information and communication technology,biotechnology(GM crops and Drugs) and nano technology(revolutionary new technology enabling scienceand engineering at molecular level).

• These accelerated new technologies will transform the way we live, work,communicate, produce and Con-sume. Many products contribute directly to sustainable development through improving health, nutrition,knowledge and living standards, reducing environmental pollution.

• New technology can lead to new potential risks which are not always easy to predict(nuclear energy: 3 mileisland, Chernobyl; CFC: ozone layer; Fossil fuel: Global warming)

• Technology advances raise concerns about possible environmental, health and socio economic impacts(concernsabout health risks of cell phones; internet facilitating child porn)

• There are concerns about all this new technology because we do not know all the potential risks involved.

• It has been suggested that the most the most effective response to technological risk is the adoption of aprecautionary principle. When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health,precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause- effect relationships are not fully established.Better safe than sorry principle.

• The precautionary principle has been developed primarily in the context of environmental policy. It emergedin European environmental policies and was recognized by the UNCED in rio hence aka rio deceleration.Been implemented widely. Basis of European environmental law plays significant role in developingenvironmental health policies. The precautionary principle specifies that scientific uncertainty is knowexcuse for environmental or health problems. Some controversy because it can be interpreted as ”proof of absolute safety is required before new technology can be implemented”. There are strong and soft

formulations and everything in between as the precautionary principle is still evolving.

• New technology and science involves new potential risks so we need to do a full assessment on it to weighbenefits and potential/expected harm and alternatives. One method is using the life cycle approach.

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• Few examples were named. GM foods have different potential benefits in developing countries(with lot of draught, food demand high supply low) vs developed countries(food supply high demand low). Nuclearpower needs to be not only weighed up against fossil fuels but also against solar and wind. Golden rice:Rice with vitamin A could save thousands of children with vitamin A deficiency, however could underminefood security (encourages a diet based on one staple). Catalyst converter in cars, good solution but theproduction of cars increases to such an extent that it does little in the greater scale of things. It was onlya short term solution as the increase in cars overwhelms the gain of the converter.

2.2.2 Economic growth environmental constraints and social constraints (sec1.4)

Carrying capacity is defined as the maximum number of individuals of a defined species that a given environmentcan support over the long term. The notion of limits is fundamental to the concept of carrying capacity. Twoconcepts emerged environmental space and ecological footprint to define these ecological limits and demonstratethe extent of our consumption.

• Environmental Space: It describes the scope of human activities by defining environmental constraints.Conceptdeveloped by friends of earth.

• The first stage in calculation is to estimate world’s carrying capacity: Total area of productive land availablefor agriculture; maximum harvest of renewable source which can de sustained; maximum rate of CO2

absorption from atmosphere; maximum assimilation of water; ect... The second factor is the distributionof this carrying capacity. At present a small number of high income countries account for the mostconsumption. Distribution is unequal.

• Environmental space can be used to set practical targets for sustainability and to have equitable access toresources.

• Example of Holland consuming more than it’s fair share of environmental space.

• Example of England consuming more of it’s fair share of environmental space.

• 3 sufficient strategies to meet targets:

1. A more efficient use of resources(e.g. products:less material and longer life)2. Using different technologies to meet needs(e.g. alternative energy)3. Finding ways of meeting environmental space targets that meet needs directly and avoid over-consumption that is damaging quality of life(e.g. energy companies can sell service and not just energyand in such implement energy efficient services such as light and warmth)

• Ecological Footprint:is another tool for measuring the extent of our consumption. It shows how muchproductive land and water is required to support a defined economy or population at a specific standard.

• Divide all of earth’s productive land and sea by the number of people today gives 1.9ha of biological produc-tive space per person. However the ecological footprint is 2.3ha. Leaving less space untouched for otherspecies makes this ecological deficit even larger.

• America has largest ecological footprint.

• eco-footprint and environmental space enable us to understand environmental limits to human activitiesbetter.

• They also show us that there is a huge inequality in access to environmental resources and increasing gapbetween developed and developing countries.

• To demonstrate global inequality we can adjust population figures to reflect energy consumption. This allowsus to compare countries with different populations.

• A lot of inequality between rich and poor. All these unequal accesses (technology, trade protection ect) areall part of existing inequality problems. Sustainable consumption is linked with the question of equitabledistribution of resources and opportunities.

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2.2.3 Equity and sustainable development sec 1.5

• Focuses attention on imbalance. Brudtland report strongly underlined that benefits and burdens should bedistributed fairly among societies and between generations. The report says primary goal is of SD isequity between current(integration equity) and future generation(intergenerational equity).

• Integration equity:Brudtland report pointed out that meeting essential needs requires not only economicgrowth for poor nations but also that they get their fair share of resources. There is a link betweenpoverty and environment

• The poor are also more vulnerable to environmental degradation as they have a much lower capacity to copewith it (draught , disaster ect). They have a low capacity to cope with change and as such are hit harderbecause the majority of their economy is based on climate -sensitive areas (agriculture).

• This link between poor and environment is characterised as a vicious circle. Often policies lead either toprotection of environment at the cost of the poor or to better the poor at the cost of degrading theenvironment. It is often the rich companies in poor areas that cause this degradation.

• There are also cases where the poor better the environment and better them self at the same time. A winwin situation. This eliminates poverty and protects the environment.

• Indoor heating and cooking can cause environmental problems and health risks(deforestation and respiratordisease) how ever increasing efficiency by 20% can reduce the effect on environment and health by half.Even better would be solar cooking and heating. By including locals in sales and distribution of the newstoves you can also tackle poverty and improve standards of living.

• Helping is not just tackling the problem but also finding the cause which can be removed. Such as unjusteconomic policies and so on.

• Causes of poverty are often environmental in nature. Environmental factors often cause disease. Often con-tamination of water is a problem(poor/no sewage system). Malaria is also an attribute to Environmentalfactors.

• Tackling the cause of poverty also includes environmental ones. There are different definitions to poverty(incomeor consumption poverty, human underdevelopment, social exclusion ill-being, lack of capabilities, lack of basic needs...ect)

• Different concepts imply different means to tackle poverty.

• There are a number of action that can be taken to address this problem: Strengthen participation of thepoor in the preparation and implementation of national and local plansprotect the current natural asset of the poor through protecting the access they already have to criticalresourcesexpand natural asset base of the poor through transferring ownership of natural assets to the poor andpromoting pro-poor land reformc0-manage and co-invest in environmental services and resources with the poor through promoting andstrengthening community management of environmental resourcespromote environmental infrastructure and technology that benefit the poormake resource transfers to the poor

• Intergenerational Equity:consider the well being of the future generations. IS an integral part of SD. Itis a moral duty.

• An interpretation is that the equity of society should not decline. ”The constant rule”: The value of theoverall capital stock is not allowed to decline. This is ”weak” sustainability as it assumes that formscapital are completely sustainable for each other( ok to give less of one capital and more of another as long

as overall same or more). The demand for stock of natural capital(Ozone layer, biological diversities...ect)to be kept constant or increase for future generations is know as ”strong” sustainability.

• The goal of sustainable development is to sustain improvements in human well-being over time andto ensure that what we do today will not deprive future generations of the means to meettheir own needs.

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• One way of achieving this goal is to follow the general principles of intergenerational equity://1.the principleof not closing down options for future generations and//2.the principle of maximising future choices buymaking considered judgement as to what are the most central, significant or important things to preserveand protect.

• In many situations our decisions will have to have trade offs between different objectives or generations.However if we apply the principles of SD consistently we stand a better chance to minimize trade offs.

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2.2.4 Potentially important diagrams

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2.3 Green engineering

In this section I will get most of information from slides instead of notes.

2.3.1 What is green engineering

Green engineering is the design, discovery and implementation of engineering solutions with an awareness of potential benefits and problems in terms of the environment, the economy and society through out the life of thedesign. It considers both technical and non-technical approaches.The goal of green engineering is to minimizeadverse impacts while simultaneously maximize benefits to the economy, society and the environment.

2.3.2 12 green engineering principles

•Inherent rather than circumstantial: Designers need to strive to ensure that all materials and energyinputs and outputs are as inherently non hazardous as possible

• Prevention instead of treatment: It is better to prevent than to treat or clean up waste after it is formed.

• Design for Separation: Separation and purification operations should be designed to minimize energyconsumption.

• Maximise efficiency: Products, processes and systems should be designed to maximize mass, energy, spaceand time efficiency.

• Output-Pulled vs. Input-Pushed: Products, processes and systems should be ”output pulled” ratherthan ”input pushed” through the use of energy and materials.

• Conserve complexity: Embedded entropy and complexity must be viewed as an investment when makingdesign choices on recycle, reuse, or beneficial disposition.

• Durability rather then immortality: Targeted durability, not immortality, should be a design goal.

• Meet need minimize excess: Design for unnecessary capacity or capability(e.g. one size fits all”) should

be considered a design flaw.

• Minimize material diversity: Material diversity in multicomponent products should be minimized topromote disassembly and value retention.

• Integrate material and energy flows: Design products, processes and systems must include integrationand interconnectivity with available energy and materials flows.

• Design for commercial ”Afterlife”: Products, processes and systems should be designed for performancein a commercial ”afterlife”.

• Renewable rather than depleting: Material and energy inputs should be renewable rather than deplet-ing.

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2.3.3 Application of green engineering at design stage

Green Engineering approach has sustainability perspective and is characterised by being scalable, flexible andapplicable at all design stages. It’s about doing the right thing in the right way.Design:

• D Define

• E Objective

• S Strategy

• I Implement

• G Monitoring

• N Adjusting

Florescent light bulbs doing the right thing the wrong way as they are constructed using rare and toxic metals.Therefore they are more efficient however pose a risk to human health.

2.3.4 Design

During design engineers evaluate properties of inputs and outputs, therefore they have greatest input in the lifeof a product. Sustainability can be integrated in the specifications of products, processes or systems. GreenEngineering designs can be used as an opportunity to leapfrog existing ideas or designs.As the degrees of freedom in the design increase engineers have more flexibility to innovate a solution to theproblem.(insert Table 7.1 of slide 20)The design phase dictates the life cycle of a product process or system. During the design phase, approximately70 - 75 percent of the cost becomes fixed for the product development, manufacture, and use. These cost mightbe realised later in the life cycle.

2.3.5 Pollution Prevention

Green engineering advocates waste prevention. The focus here is on sustainable efficient design. Pollution pre-vention on the other hand is focused on increasing the efficiency of a process to reduce the amount of pollutiongenerated. This is the basis for incremental ism or eco -efficiency, where the current system is tweaked to bebetter than before thus, it is not really green engineering.

Pollution Hierarchy:

• Source reduction Should be prevented at source

• Recycling Waste generated should be reused

• Treatment Waste that cannot be reused should be treated

• Disposal Waste that cannot treated should be dissposed in a safe manner

2.3.6 Industrial Ecology

Industrial ecology is the shifting of industrial processes from system in which resource and capital investmentmove through the system to become waste, to ecological closed-loops, where waste becomes input for newprocesses.

• Type 1 Eco system (open loop): unlimited resources → Organism → unlimited waste

• Type 2 Eco system (Semi closed loop): Energy and limited resources → → limited waste

Type 2 has cycling and generates some waste.

• Type 3 Eco system(closed loop): Energy → Type 3 is based on natural systems where there is no waste, instead wastes become inputs for newprocesses.

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2.3.7 Design for environment(DFE) or Eco - design

In DFE environmental burdens are intentionally considered and eliminated where possible, at the design phase,DFE strategies include source reduction, material recovery, and when these fail, the use of treatable as opposedto untreatable materials is preferred.

Strategies for eliminating environmental burdens:

• Changes in material selection

• Changes in equipment selection; improved purchasing choices

• Improved operating practices

• Improved recovery and disposition practices

• Improved logistics

Design for end of life: readily recyclable or more easily disassembled for reuses or recycle, waste minimisa-tion, energy efficiency and increased lifetime(durability).

2.3.8 Measuring Sustainability

While principles of green engineering provide framework for designers, many engaged in sustainability goals.An indicator, in general is something that points to an issue or condition. It’s purpose is to show you howwell a system is working if there is a problem, an indicator can help you determine what direction to take toaddress the issue. Sustainability indicators should be a collection that represents the multidimensional natureof sustainability, considering environmental, social and economic facets.

Environmental indicators:

• Traditional: Levels of pollution in the air, water soil etc Cost of fuel

• Sustainable indicator: Use and generation of pollutants( where, when), use of energy

• Emphasis on sustainability: Total energy used, measure of activities causing the pollution; rate of use of resources

Economic indicators:

• Traditional: Average income

• Sustainable indicator:Number of hours paid; average wage required to support basic needs

• Emphasis on sustainability: what the wage can buy; local financial resilience

Social Indicators:

• Traditional: Number of registered voters

• Sustainable indicator: Number of people voted in election

• Emphasis on sustainability: number of people participating in democratic process

2.4 Life Cycle assessment

2.4.1 What is life cycle assessment?

• Definition1: Calculation of environmentally relevant inputs and outputs and the potential impacts of thelife cycle of a product, material or services is know as ”Life cycle assessment”. This includes the technicalsystem of processes, transport routes used at, or needed for raw materials extraction, production, useand after use. Sometimes this is called cradle to grave assessment.

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• Definition2: A compilation and evaluation of inputs, outputs and potential environmental impacts of aproduct throughout its life cycle. It includes staged in the life cycle of an activity: Extraction and pro-cessing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, use and re-use and maintenance,recycling and disposal.

• Definition3: Is a consideration that takes into account the environmental performance of a product, process,system through all phases from acquisition of raw materials to refining those materials, manufacturing,use and end of life management. In the case of engineering infrastructure, the life stages would include:

Site development, materials and product delivery, infrastructure manufacture, infrastructure use, andrefurbishment, recycling and disposal.

2.4.2 Life cycle assessment of a product

Entire, process or system life cycle is evaluated. It is the holistic approach that takes into account of extractionand treatment of raw materials; Product manufacturing; Transport and distribution; Product use and End of life.

2.4.3 What is missing the life cycle assessment to ensure sustainability?

LCA should have full assessment of goods and services with in the context of sustainable development. (thus

upholding the 3 pillars of sustainable development: Environment, Economy and Society). However, the tradi-tional LCA has some sustainability links missing as follows:

1. The Economy: To find out how the product will effect the economy we need to carry out an economiclife cycle assessment (e-LCA) or sometimes called life cycle costing (LCC), which is the total cost of ownership. LCC is a compilation and assessment of all costs related to a product, over its entire lifecycle, from production to use, maintenance and disposal.

2. The Society: To find out how a product will effect the society we need to carry out a Socio-EconomicLife Cycle Assessment(S-LCA). This is a technique for assessing social impact. In other words assess the

socio-economic aspects of products, their potential positive and negative impacts along their life cycleusing generic and site specific data. The objects of S-LCA are the products and services and it’s scope isthe entire life cycle. Social and socio-economic aspects in S-LCA are those that may directly or indirectlyaffect stakeholders positively or negatively during the entire life cycle of a product. The assessed aspectsmay be linked to the behaviour of enterprises, to socio-economic processes, or to impacts on social capital.

2.4.4 Life cycle components

Impact assessment ← → Inventory analysis ← → Goal and scope↑.............................................↑..................................................↑....................................Interpretation.........................................

Goal and scope: consists of the following information

• 01. Intended application and Audience

• 02. Reason for the study

• 03. Limitations

• 04. Functions of the system being investigated

• 05. Functional units (most important elements of LCA)

• 06. The system being investigated

• 07. The system boundaries

• 08. The allocation approaches

• 09. The data requirements

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• 10. Data quality requirements

• 11. The key assumptions

• 12. The impact assessment method

• 13. The interpretation method

• 14. The type of reporting

Inventory analysis(LCI): Identifies and quantifies the environmental burdens in the LCA of an activityunder study. The burdens are defined by material and energy used and emissions to the environment(liquid, gas and solid waste).The phase involves four activities:

• 1. Detailed definition of the system

• 2. The collection of quantitative data and analysis of all inputs and outputs, their composition, source andfinal destination during production, use and end of life and material and energy balance.

• 3. The allocation of environmental burdens in multiple function systems.

• 4. Data adaptation and or weighting to the functional unit to take into account the whole life cycle thusquantification of the environmental burdens.

Impact analysis (LCIA): Product/production system is analysed from environmental perspective using cat-egory indicators e.g. global warming, ozone depleting, water pollution, water use, air pollution ect. Thereare four mandatory elements of LCIA:

• 1. Selection of impact categories, category indicator and models: These are defined by their im-pact pathway and impact indicator, and the elementary flows from the inventory are assigned to theimpact categories according to the substances ability to contribute to different environmental problems.

• 2. Assignment of LCIA(mandatory): Identification of environmental impacts caused by each pollutant

and assigning them to impact categories. example: two pollutants can contribute to acid rain. Howeverone of them can also cause smog.

• 3. Calculation of category indicator results: This defines how much impact an emission has with re-gard to a pre-defined reference substance of an impact category. This is expressed by means of a character-isation factor. For example: The acidification potentials or the global warming potentials per functionalunit of the pollutants. Methane has an environmental impact for 25*CO2 GWP within 100 years time.The GWP is calculated in kg CO2 equivalents. Therefore the characterisation factor of methane is 25.The results for each characterised indicator can be summed up within each impact category. Calculat-ing the magnitude of category indicator results relative to a reference value (normalisation), Grouping,weighting e.g. Examples can be distribution, intensity, persistence, severity, contribution, re movability

but NOT timing of impact or removal of impact.• 4. Interpretation: This phase is aimed at system improvements and innovations as such it is some times

referred to as Improvement assessment phase. Results are analysed in line with the goal and scope. Con-clusions are reached by identifying major burdens or impacts. Recommendations are provided followingISO 14043 standards.

2.4.5 General characteristics of LCA

• Iterative process

• Impact assessment helps understand the environmental inputs and outputs that are significant and improvesinventory analysis

• Conclusions of LCA should be compatible with goal and quality of study

• Goal and scope define the limits of the study

• Inventory consists of listing of categorisation

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• Impact assessment describes and quantifies impacts

• Improvement assessment form basis for improvement of existing cycle

• LCA is a conceptual thought process that guides selection of options from designs and improvement

• LCA is methodological – quantifies and qualifies inventory of environmental burdens and identifies ways toimprove environmental performance

2.4.6 LCA Classification

LCA can be qualitative or quantitative in nature. The qualitative approach is used to quickly establish whichproducts and services might present the best options. The quantitative approach is used when you want tocompare two products, or consider one product on its own. There is also streamlined LCA where some of thelife stages eliminated or with adjusted system boundaries.

The LCA can also be classified based on the system boundaries which were selected:

Cradle-to-grave: This is the full Life Cycle Assessment.

Cradle-to-gate: This is a partial product life cycle i.e resource extraction (cradle) to the factory gate.

Cradle-to-cradle: This is also known as open loop production. This is a cradle to disposal with a recyclingprocess included.

Gate-to-gate: This is a partial LCA looking at only one value-added process in the entire production chain.

The LCA can also be classified based on product or process being assessed for example transport.

LCA can also be classified based on whether it is attributional or it is encompassing of the consequencesof change in response to decision.

LCA as a conceptual thought process that guide selection of options from designs and improvement.

LCA is a method to build quantitative and qualitative inventory of environmental burdens or releasesand identify alternative for improvement.

2.4.7 Simplified LCA

The simplified LCA consists of 3 parts. Screening, Simplifying and Assessing reliability. In screening one hasto identify parts of the system that are important. In simplifying you have to use the screening results to focusfurther work on important parts of the system. And in Assessing reliability a reality check has to be made tosecure that simplification doesn’t compromise quality of the results.

2.4.8 Detailed LCA

This is the full process of undertaking LCA. Detailed data is required focusing on the target of the LCA. Itrequires extensive and in depth data collection. If the data is available generically, the data must be collectedspecifically on the product.The detailed LCA can be split into five stages:

1. Planning (The most important stage): State objectives, definition of product and alternatives, chosesystem boundaries, chose environmental parameters,chose aggregation and evaluation method and strat-egy for data collection.

2. Screening: Preliminary execution of the LCA and adjustment of the plan.

3. Data collection and data treatment: Measurements, interviews, literature search, theoretical calcula-

tions, data base search, qualified guessing and computation of inventory table.

4. Evaluation : The classification of the inventory table into impact categories, aggregation within thecategory (characterisation); normalisation and weighting of different categories (Valuation)

5. Improvement assessment: Sensitivity analysis and improvement priority and feasibility assessment

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2.4.9 Life Cycle Thinking (LCT)

End-of-pipe approach that uses clean-up technologies in reducing environmental impact is not in line withsustainability because it transfers environmental burdens from one life stage to another or from one place toanother

Incremental ism approach (Eco-efficiency)] as in the case of clean technology /pollution prevention focuseson increasing efficiency of process and reducing amount of pollution and not sustainability.

An adoption of a system approach that considers the whole life cycle of the activity is what constitutesLife cycle thinking (LCT) also known as a cradle to grave approach.

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2.5 Environmental Auditing

2.5.1 What is environmental auditing?

Environmental auditing is the process of testing organisation’s environmental performance against its ownenvironmental policies and objectives. It could be viewed as a methodological examination (tests, checks, andconfirmation) of procedures and practices to verify whether they conform to internal policies, accept practicesand legal requirements.

The definition according to the International Chamber of Commerce is: MANAGEMENT TOOL compris-ing a systematic, documented, periodic and objective evaluation of how well (1) environmental organisation,(2) management and (3) equipment are performing with the aim of contributing to safeguarding the environ-ment by facilitating management control of environmental practices. And assessing compliance with companypolicies and regulatory requirements.

2.5.2 Environmental auditing characteristics

Management tool is a tool to assess, evaluate, manage environmental and sustainability issues. Please notethat there is a difference between EIA and environmental auditing. Environmental Audit assess environmentalperformance of existing activity. EIA on the other hand is a tool to predict, evaluate and analyse environmental

impacts before the project commences or before making improvements or modifications.Environmental auditing is a systematic process. It is carefully planned, structured and organised. It is a longterm process of evaluation and checking. It is also a process that is repeatable, replicable, comparable withrespects to both quantitatively and qualitatively.Findings from environmental auditing are documented and verifiable. Findings on samples can track the pastfindings. The document trails are used to verify verbal response.The environmental auditing process is carried out at defined intervals. The track also changes over a period of time.Environmental auditing evaluates performance of: Environmental Organisation, Environmental Managementsystem (policies and structure), Environmental equipment)The objective of evaluation is to remove the element of subjectivity. In other words it should be easy to ex-

pose unethical behaviour. Environmental auditing facilitates management control and environmental practiceswhich are in agreement with established procedures and set guidelines.Environmental auditing has to be compliance with the company policies and regulatory requirements. Oftenthese requirements are for environmental performance to be greater than the minimum legal requirements.

2.5.3 Environmental auditing types

Environment management audits: environmental management systems

Environmental assessment: Used to check that an EIA compiles with the minimum legal requirements

Environmental compliance: Test compliance legal compliance and corporate compliance

Environmental assessment: Also checks to ensure that due legal process has been followed

Waste audits: Checking and verifying methods, procedures and systems.

Supplier audits: Contractors/Supplier credibility (can form part of a contract with the supplier).

Environmental due diligence audits: precursor of property

Sustainability and corporate responsibility

2.5.4 Development of Environmental Auditing

Motivations: Self disclosure, self policing to correct problems, for fear of persecution or higher penalties. ISO14001 certification

Development of: Safety, healthy environment and quality auditing.

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Emergency of: Sustainability auditing, corporate social responsibility

SANS 19011, ISO19011,ISO14001: Auditing programmes, Responsibility and roles.

2.5.5 Auditing process

Pre-Audit

• Objective

• Scope

• Planning

• Pre-Audit meeting

Audit

• Auditing meeting & Audit

• Evaluate

• Report

Post Audit

• Decision

• Action

2.5.6 Tools and Techniques (T&T) & Practicalities

T&T Checklists:

• Questionnaires (Audit protocols)

• Questioning

• Observations

• Photographs

• “Drill down” Samples

• Research background information

Practicalities:

• Psychology of auditing

• Fear of the unknown

• Home territory

• Emotions

• Snapshot in Time

• Quality control

• Policing vs continuous improvement

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2.5.7 Environmental auditing and decision making

• Transparency

• Audit report distribution

• Confidentiality

• Stakeholder participation

• Audit follow ups

• Auditing and formal systems: ISO 14000 series ( 14004, 14010, 14011, 14012, 14041 (LCA) 14950 vocabulary)

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2.6 Environmental Management Systems and ISO 14001

2.6.1 What is Environmental Management?

Environmental Management is about keeping control of activities to conserve natural resources (air, water ,soil, fauna etc ) and avoid polluting them.

2.6.2 Environmental Management System/Strategy/Plan

It is a system/strategy/plan that is documented, detailing, at the highest management level, the environmentalpolicies of a company and the appropriate procedures for its implementation. It is one of the requirements forISO 14000 certifications and other environment programmes.

2.6.3 What is ISO 14001?It is the International Organisation for standardisation (ISO) Environmental Management System standardwhich is a cost effective OVERALL management system of the environmental impact of any production ormanufacturing process. It includes organisational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices,procedures, processes and resources.

2.6.4 Clauses

Clause 4 is the key element of an EMS and is divided into 6 points:

4.1. General requirements: This clause states that all sections of the standard must be complied to

• Development of environmental policy.

• Prepare procedures and documentation.

• Modify plans.

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• Plan for change.

• Train staff.

• Regular assessment of performance.

4.2. Goals-Set an Environmental Policy: It is a Written statement that is relevant to the activities, prod-uct and/or services rendered and their environmental impacts. It considers the organization’s missionand vision. This policy needs to be documented, communicated to staff and publicly available. It is

needed to show commitments.For ISO 14001 in clause 4.2 it must include the following information

• Commitment to continual improvement

• Commitment to prevent pollution

• Commitment to comply with relevant environmental regulations and any requirements.

• Commitment to set and progress objectives and targets

• A statement that the EMS is documented, implemented and maintained.

• A statement that policy has been communicated to all employees

• A statement that the policy is available to the public

4.3. ‘Plan’ - Identify the baseline issues:

• Environmental Aspects

• Legal and Other Requirements

• Objectives and Targets

• Environmental Program

4.4. ‘Do’ – Develop and implement the policy:

• Structure and responsibility.

• Training, awareness and competence.

• Communication.

• EMS Documentation.

• Document control.

• Operational control.

• Emergency preparedness and response.

4.5. ‘Check’ - Conduct audit and management reviews:

• Monitoring and measurement equipment to be calibrated

• Non conformance and corrective and prevention action. System for handeling non compliances with investi-gation and corrective actions

• Records must be kept and archiving requirements specified

• EMS Audits

4.6. ‘Act’ - Improve the management system: A meeting to review all components of the EMS to ensureits continuing suitability for the needs and objectives of the organisation.

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2.7 Low carbon Economy(Guest lecturer

2.7.1 Official reasons

• Managing GHG risks

• Identifying reduction opportunities

• Mandatory GHG reporting programs

• Voluntary GHG reporting programs

• Participating in GHG markets

• Recognition for early voluntary action

2.7.2 Company GHG quantification process

1. Organisational Boundaries which consist of: Equity Share, Financial Control , Operational Control

2. Operational Boundaries which consist of Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3

3. Identify GHG emissions sources4. Select calculation approach

5. Collect data and choose emission factors

6. Calculate

7. Compare

2.7.3 Organisational Boundaries

A company accounts for GHG emissions if it has 100% financial control or operational control. A company

does not account for GHG emissions from operations which it owns an interest but does not have finan-cial/operational control over it. However if the later is the case the company still accounts for the GHGemissions but are included in scope 3 and account that much as they have interest in the company. (i.e. if 50%owned then 50% of the emission)

2.7.4 Scopes

Scope 1: Direct GHG emissions. Anything effecting GHG emissions that is owned by the company. In otherwords anything that the company does that directly to create GHG.

Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions by electricity.

Scope 3: Indirect GHG emissions. Basically if it’s not directly caused by something owned by the companythen it goes here (e.g. employee petrol, flights, paper procurement... these all cause GHG emissions butthe company has no control on how much or to what extent these emission are produced)

2.8 Sibus section

He said know your project... I don’t like him that much... Sorry...

2.9 Conclusion

For those of you reading this feel free to share. It will be a good idea to go through the tut in class we didregarding GHG and also to maybe read through the slides again.

Documents

Enviros Learning Text