Audit of Glamorgan University Environmental Management Systems Using ISO14001 standards - Case Study Example

Audit of Glamorgan environmental Management Systems using ISO14001 standards Audit of Glamorgan University environmental Management Systems using ISO14001 standards Introduction The Vice-Chancellor and the University Directorate have made the commitment to care for the environment and improve the university overall sustainability. The sustainability program of the University is as follows. This paper will review and audit the University of Glamorgan environmental and sustainability management systems using the ISO 14001 standards, regulatory initiatives and best practices. The University has committed to comply with environmental legislation by identifying the activities which impact on the environment and global society and implementing plans which eliminate the detrimental impacts on the environment. This paper will audit the University’s environmental management system and assess whether it complies with the International Environmental management standard BS EN ISO 14001: 2004 (Shah 2007). In achieving the environmental sustainability goal, all major players in the University including the staff and students are tasked with handling waste materials properly and conserving the natural resources through recycling. Glamorgan environmental sustainability policy statements is a long term integrated approach which aim at developing a health environment for the staff, students and visitors. It addresses economic, social and environmental issues which aim at reducing the wastage of the key natural resources (Shah 2007). The indicators of the University environmental sustainability policy include the carbon management, environmental management, energy, water and waste management, sustainable procurement, biodiversity and construction and refurbishment of the structures. ISO 14001 which is the international standard for environmental management systems is currently used in more than 200 countries by more than fifteen thousand organizations. According to the standards, the environmental policy should be committed to elimination of pollution, complying with government legislation and continuous improvement of the EMS (Shah 2007). Management and environmental awareness All the members of Staff, University management, Students and external stakeholders are kept aware of the University sustainability policy. New members of staff attend short induction courses on the policy while new students are educated on how they should contribute to energy saving and recycling. Environmental sustainability workshops are conducted while specific training is conducted at the departmental level. The records of staff training on environmental sustainability are organized by estates and facilities department which transmits them later to the human resource department (Shah 2007). The environmental sustainability management policies are usually audited by external auditors in collaboration with trained internal auditors. The audits are independent and objective and aim at assessing the level of compliance with the ISO 14001: 2004. Auditors make recommendations for corrective and preventive actions in areas which need further compliance with the prevailing environmental legislation. Management and site development All the developments of the University incorporate sustainability and adhere to the best environmental practices. Suppliers should be registered with ISO 14001 and the Green Dragon Award scheme. The University conducts periodic reviews of the contractor’s performance in relation to sustainability and environmental issues. The contracting documents outline the contractor’s responsibility to waste management. Minor works contracts include the safety procedures of contractors while major projects include the control of contractors’ code of practice. A pre-contract briefing is done to outline the contractors’ responsibility towards environmental sustainability. The University environmental management system has set waste material handling procedures where some waste is recycled and the rest is disposed in landfills efficiently. The university has collecting facilities for wastes such as glass, cans, wood, furniture, metal, books, clothing, cardboard, toner cartridges and mobile phones. Pollution There is a recycling map which guides the students and staff on the collection points of the waste. The university has enlisted the services of Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council to collect the general waste. Food waste is properly disposed via sink disposal units while the dry waste is put in to bags for disposal in a dedicated compactor. The used cooking oil is put in to containers and sold for recycling. Controlled waste from the health centre, science and nursing and health care is disposed in proper containers which are provided by a contractor. Noxious waste from microbiology is collected in specified blue bags which are sterilized hence the bags are classified as controlled waste (Abdullah 2007). A specialized contractor has been awarded the tender to supply containers and remove the sanitary and clinical waste. Hazardous waste which includes chemicals, used solvents and waste oil are packed in secure containers and clearly labeled before the departments can dispose them (May 1996). There are designated collection boxes for fluorescent tubes and lambs which are located in the block yards. Waste oils and cutting fluids are sealed securely in larger drums and disposed through the designated hazardous waste store. The storage ensures that the oils do not escape in to water course. Organic liquids which include white spirit are collected and disposed through the hazardous waste store which is situated in the main campus. The university has also advocated for the replacement of the paints and pigments with water based substitutes which are less hazardous. Silver residues are also collected in a safe method. Mercury residues which are considered more dangerous are collected through the hazardous waste store and are never allowed to enter the drains. Batteries are collected in boxes and sorted at the Glamorgan conference centre for safe disposal. Petrol and diesel storage happens in the main campus and the playing fields where a risk assessment has to be carried by the health and safety officer. Tanks which store fuels must have no leaks and should be bundled and all drain cocks padlocked (Edwards 2004). Compliance with legislation The environmental management system has complied with environmental protection (duty of care) amendment regulation of 2003 which imposes the duty of care to persons who import, keep and treat or dispose controlled waste to ensure there are no unauthorized or harmful deposits. The regulations of the environmental protection act of 1990 section 34 (5) require the person making such disposal of waste to varnish all documentation on the nature of the waste hence the University has complied with this legal requirement. The duty of care is also governed by the environment act of 1995 in the national waste strategy and the control of pollution (special waste) regulations 1980. The University has complied with the controlled waste (registration of waste carriers and seizure of vehicles) regulations 1991 by making sure all the contracted carriers are duly permitted by the law to conduct the business (Collins 2007). The University has complied with the landfill tax regulations 1996 which require the landfill sites to be registered and payments to be made for the use of the services. The chemicals (hazards information and packaging of substances and mixtures) regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 require the labeling of the details of the hazardous chemicals before they are disposed hence the University has complied with the requirement (Collins 2007). The university waste management policy has complied with the waste batteries and accumulators regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No 890) which prohibits the disposal of waste automobile and industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration. The university ensures the batteries are collected and delivered to an approved battery treatment operator for recycling (Collins 2007). Recycling There is a recycling map which is displayed on the sustainability notice boards which show the collection points for recycling. Office paper, envelops, magazines and newspapers are put in bins which are emptied by the recycling contractors. Cardboard is collected by cleaners and placed in brown bins where it if flattened and placed in the containers for recycling. Toner cartridges and mobile phones are also collected by Toner man for recycling. Glass, cans and central processing units of computers are separately collected and recycled. For the furniture, the estates and facilities department facilitates the collection where good furniture is kept for future use and the scrap furniture is donated as charity. Metals may be recycled while the laminated clipboard surfaces are disposed as general waste. Spectacles are placed in the “vision aid overseas” boxes located in the health centre and estates facilities. Pollution of hazardous waste Disposal of controlled waste is done by the approved waste carriers. A transfer note is issued for each movement of waste and while contracted arrangements for the supply of skips last for a period of three years. Hazardous waste which is explosive, flammable, irritant, harmful and toxic including waste oils, waste fluorescent tubes and asbestos is disposed in registered sites. All consignments of hazardous waste are documented as hazardous where one note is kept by the university and the other passed to the consignee and the waste processor (Naiman 1992) The University encourages students to stop receiving junk mails by asking the Royal mail to stop delivering unaddressed mails to their houses. The University has important measures of combating energy misuse and climate change. The University encourages students to switch off TVs when they are not in use and in order to save money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The University encourages students to report any cases of water wastage since the dripping hot water taps waste both energy and water. The students and staff are encouraged to purchase energy saving home appliances which have approved labels. The University encourages the students to buy insulators in their houses which preserve heat which may be lost through the roof and doors or windows since it saves money and reduces the chances of climate change through carbon emissions (Naiman 1992). The university has educated the stakeholders on the need to access advice from Energy saving trust which is a governmental funded organization which avails free and impartial advice on energy conservation techniques. Energy According to my observations, the University is committed to minimizing energy use, energy costs, the depletion of fossil fuels and the carbon emissions. The University has a monitoring system which monitors each department’s water and energy use so in order to maintain the energy budget. The new buildings are energy saving. The Students and staff save energy by switching off lights when daylight is sufficient and turning off computer screens when not in use (Edwards 2004). The University has installed electricity meters which monitor the energy usage. Water The university is committed to reducing the water consumption. All new buildings have water saving devices which include percussion taps and flow restrictors. All hosepipes have end valve control and all commercial water usage like in the departments is metered and charged to the department. Transport The University is committed to green transport. The public transport is accessible and numerous foot and cycle paths have been constructed in order to prevent the environmental damage. There is an on-campus car parking places which are reserved for the drivers. Cycling facilities have been observed in the sports centre, the forest hall and the Glamorgan court. The University is easily accessible by train and buses like the Treforest which is served by Arrival Wales trains at the Treforest station. The Atrium is also close to the Cardiff Queen Street Station while regular buses commute to Talbot Green and Treforest campus. The University offers the student free interest loans to purchase bus tickets which are mainly paperless tickets (Davies 2010) Land use and ecology The university is committed to wildlife preservation and has constructed the Woodland Nature Walk which enables the students and staff to improve their environmental awareness and preserve the ecology. There is bat habitat since bat boxes have been placed on trees and buildings. The plantation of trees encourages birds and occasional inventory of birds is usually collected. Insect boxes have been provided and insects such as Lacewings and Ladybirds can be observed. The university has banned the use of insecticides and herbicides in the playing fields and trees in order to encourage grasses and trees to grow naturally. The university has complied with the relevant legislation like the food and environment protection Act of 1985 which outlaws the use of certain pesticides and herbicides which are harmful to the environment. The university has also complied with Ragwort control Act 2003 and conservation of habitats and species regulations 2010 which requires all the institutions to encourage ecological diversity and preserve indigenous and threatened species of plants and wildlife. Handling pollution incidents The University of Gloucestershire has developed an environmental management system which has been independently audited and registered to international environmental management standards BS EN ISO 14001: 2004. The British Standards Institute has confirmed that it adheres to the ISO 14001 hence the University has enjoyed various benefits like cost reductions in managing environmental impacts like efficient waste and energy management. The university has been able to highlight the areas of inefficiency in managing the environment. The university has also complied with the environmental legislation hence has achieved positive public image amongst the student population (Edwards 2004). Health, safety and wellbeing Statutory authorities, agencies and members of the public are free to make any enquiries about the environmental policy of the University. The University displays its environmental management policy on various places within the campuses. The findings of the audit found that internal information can be accessed through the handbook, emails, telephones, bulletin notice and the facilities management web pages. The internal training courses and the sustainability champion’s newsletter also disseminate more information on environmental management within the University (Edwards 2004). Information is made available to the public through the University publications and through the website. Incidents of environmental damage can be reported internally to the sustainability manager through the telephone hence immediate action is taken to prevent pollution. External complains are reported to Accommodation officer through telephones. The security department and the community liaison representative also receives external complains. Recommendations The university environment management policy does not contain any clause on the control of asbestos and other related products. The control of Asbestos regulations 2006 and other previous legislations on the same subject matter, control the importation, supply and use of any form of asbestos hence the University should include a clause in its policy which prohibits the use of asbestos or risk a fine of up to 20,000 pounds or the imprisonment of the concerned individuals. The clean neighborhoods and environment act 2005. Bibliography: Abdullah, A. 2007. Introduction to environmental management system. Malaysia. University of Technology Malaysia. Collins, D. 2007. Health and safety strategies 2007: case report. Oxford. Blackwell Publishing Davies, A. 2010. Workplace law handbook 2011: health and safety, premises and environment handbook. Cambridge. Workplace law group. Edwards, A. 2004. ISO 14001 environmental certification step by step. Oxford. Butterworth- Heinemann. May, P. 1996. Environmental management and governance: intergovernmental approaches to hazards and sustainability. London. Routledge. Naiman, R. 1992. Watershed management: balancing sustainability and environmental change. New York. Springer. Shah, S. 2007. Sustainable practice for facilities manager. Oxford. Blackwell Publishing. Read More