JOHN PAULO BELGA MENDENILLA
BSCE-3C
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 1
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 2
1. How does an Environmental Management System help in preventing pollution?
The Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of systems and practices
that allow an organization to lessen its environmental impact whilst still improving its
efficiency and productivity. This system delivers EMS-related information and resources
to people, as well as small businesses and private companies, municipal, state, and federal
organizations. An effective EMS maintains a balance between providing structure for
monitoring environmental data and working as a platform for new ideas and
improvements. An EMS must go beyond merely completing environmental and
regulatory standards to be effective. An improved EMS contains goals for decreasing
waste and taking environmental factors into account when designing goods. This system
will ensure that organizations, companies and industry will follow the said practices and
methods in building an own business with respect to the its surrounding thus limiting the
causes and emittance of pollution. Furthermore, EMS introduce pollution-reduction
approaches such as, but not limited to, process modification, inventory control measures,
feedstock substitutes, different housekeeping and management practices, and increased
machinery efficiency. Members of the company define objectives and targets as part of
the EMS development process. This is the EMS's action section, which includes
particular jobs that will lead to the achievement of the goals. Reduce energy usage is an
example of a goal with a pollution prevention focus.
2. Why does ISO: 14001 is the commonly adopted EMS model?
ISO 14001 is an international standard that provides a framework for an efficient
environmental management system (EMS). Rather than imposing environmental
performance standards, it gives a framework that a business must follow. ISO 14001 was
not only utilized as a framework to prevent negative environmental impacts (e.g., air,
water, land) but also assisted organizations in complying with applicable laws and
regulations and consistently improving their Environmental Management Systems.
Furthermore, there has been an increase in customer demand for environmentally friendly
products or services over the years, and having an internationally recognized certification
in ISO 14001 helps to demonstrate the company's commitment to environmental
preservation. Furthermore, ISO 14001 may be used to any company, regardless of size or
sector, public or private, and in any industry, such as manufacturing or service sectors, as
well as local governments. This model also provides plenty of benefits to both the
organization and environment such as;
Improve resource efficiency
Reduce waste
Drive down costs
Provide assurance that environmental impact is being measured
Gain competitive advantage in supply chain design
Increase new business opportunities
Meet legal obligations
Increase stakeholder and customer trust
Improve overall environmental impact
Manage environmental obligations with consistency
3. Why do you think it is best for an organization to publicize that it has an EMS?
Implementing an Environmental Management System will definitely cost money
and effort, similar to any company investment, these aspects can make or break a plan,
but there will be several benefits as soon as it is employed. Economic uncertainty lurks
over many companies, large and small, and the perceived importance of environmental
protection is diminishing. The environmental benefits of implementing an EMS are
obvious: reduced pollution, less resource depletion, increased environmental
consciousness, less garbage to landfill, and so on. Further, installing an EMS makes
sound commercial sense. An EMS is all about analyzing and decreasing risk, whether
that risk comes from the environment or comes from you. These dangers provide
possibilities for your company. Investing in risk mitigation not only lowers costs when
things go wrong, but it also lowers the possibility that these things will go wrong in the
first place. From that being said, as the organization publicized that it has an EMS, people
will know that their business will be environment-friendly and at the same time efficient
and useful which are the factors that customers or audiences really want. It will also
provide the customers the assurance that the organization or company will have their
safety as their first priority.
