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An environmental management system (EMS) is a document created by an organization that provides guidelines and procedures for minimizing its environmental impact. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages organizations to develop an EMS, especially in industries that deal with hazardous materials.
ISO 14001 Standard
The ISO 14001 standard is a set of international standards and guidelines that is the most widely accepted framework from which to create an EMS.
Planning
Planning is an essential step of an EMS. Current practices are evaluated for their environmental risk and impact.
Implementation
Implementation of an EMS includes documentation of the EMS, staff training and the delegation of duties and responsibilities of staff and management.
Check
The success of an EMS depends on the inclusion of a monitoring or auditing system that assesses EMS performance.
Review
A successful EMS requires a regular review schedule so that management can determine if alterations are necessary. Changes are based on performance or changes within the industry or state and federal regulatory policies.
Source:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Frequently Asked Questions about EMS
International Organization for Standardization
More Information:
National Database on Environmental Management Systems
"Environmental Management System--Final Report"; Craig P. Diamond; 1996
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