ISO 14001 Aspects & Impacts Simplified

Summary

This video introduces the key concepts of ISO 14001:2015, focusing on identifying environmental aspects and impacts within an organization. It explains how environmental aspects relate to a company’s activities, products, or services, and how their impacts affect the environment. The process includes evaluating factors such as legal requirements, severity, and frequency of environmental aspects, then setting specific environmental objectives and targets. The goal is to improve environmental performance through an effective Environmental Management System (EMS). The video offers valuable insights into establishing a sustainable, compliant, and efficient EMS for businesses.

Takeaways

• 😀 ISO 14001:2015 helps organizations manage their environmental aspects and impacts effectively.
• 🌍 Environmental aspects are any activities, products, or services that can interact with the environment, either positively or negatively.
• ⚡ Environmental impacts are the changes to the environment resulting from these aspects, whether beneficial or adverse.
• 📝 An environmental aspect register should include all activities across the business, such as waste, energy usage, transportation, and chemical use.
• 🌱 Not just core activities, but also maintenance, office operations, heating/cooling systems, and contractor actions should be considered as environmental aspects.
• 📊 Environmental impacts should be assessed to understand the potential damage, such as resource depletion from activities like photocopying.
• ⚖️ A scoring system should be applied to prioritize environmental aspects based on severity, occurrence, and detection.
• 🏷️ High-risk aspects with significant impacts should be assigned specific objectives, targets, and programs to address them.
• 🎯 Environmental objectives represent long-term goals to improve environmental performance, while targets are short-term goals to achieve those objectives.
• 🛠️ Identifying environmental aspects early on is crucial for setting clear goals and ensuring an effective Environmental Management System (EMS).

Q & A

What is ISO 14001:2015, and why is it important?

ISO 14001:2015 is a global standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). It helps organizations manage their environmental responsibilities by identifying, evaluating, and controlling the environmental aspects and impacts of their operations.

What does 'environmental aspect' mean in the context of ISO 14001:2015?

An environmental aspect refers to any part of an organization's activities, products, or services that can interact with the environment, either positively or negatively.

What is the definition of 'environmental impact' under ISO 14001:2015?

An environmental impact is any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, resulting from the organization's environmental aspects.

How can businesses identify their environmental aspects?

Businesses can identify their environmental aspects by listing all activities and processes that may have an environmental effect, such as waste streams, gas usage, electricity, water use, transportation, chemicals, and more.

What are some examples of environmental aspects in a business?

Examples include electricity usage, air conditioning, lighting, compressors, vehicle parking, maintenance departments, and contractor activities.

Why is it necessary to consider not only core operations but also secondary activities?

It is important to consider all activities, not just core operations, because secondary activities like maintenance, office operations, and contractor work can also have environmental impacts.

Can you provide an example of how an environmental aspect leads to an impact?

A simple example is photocopying in an office: this activity uses paper (which is made from trees) and electricity (often generated from fossil fuels), both of which contribute to resource depletion.

What should companies consider when scoring their environmental aspects?

Companies should consider factors such as the severity of environmental damage, frequency of occurrence, detection ability, legislation, stakeholder concerns, and the volume of the impact when scoring their environmental aspects.

What are environmental objectives and targets in the context of ISO 14001:2015?

Environmental objectives are broad goals aimed at improving environmental performance. Environmental targets are specific, short-term goals that help achieve these objectives, such as reducing waste to landfill by a certain percentage in the first year.

Why is it critical to properly identify environmental aspects from the start?

Properly identifying environmental aspects from the beginning is crucial because it saves time, ensures the EMS is effective, and helps the organization achieve meaningful environmental benefits.