COMPLIANCE
Environmental compliance is a fundamental component of successful facility operations. An environmental audit is a tool that an organization can use to identify the full extent of its environmental impacts, determine its compliance status with applicable regulations and requirements to gain an understanding on how it can sustain or improve its environmental performance going forward. Meadows maintains envrionmental compliance by:
1) Assessing the Situation
2) Sustaining the Future
Environmental compliance is a fundamental component of successful facility operations. An environmental audit is a tool that an organization can use to identify the full extent of its environmental impacts, determine its compliance status with applicable regulations and requirements to gain an understanding on how it can sustain or improve its environmental performance going forward. Meadows maintains envrionmental compliance by:
1) Assessing the Situation
2) Sustaining the Future
Environmental compliance is a fundamental component of successful facility operations. An environmental audit is a tool that an organization can use to identify the full extent of its environmental impacts, determine its compliance status with applicable regulations and requirements, and to gain an understanding on how it can sustain or improve its environmental performance going forward. Meadows maintains environmental compliance by:
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Assessing the Situation through EMS and other tools
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Making compliance a top priority for an organization
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Cultivating proactivity to avoid last minute problems in reporting
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Sustaining the Future
There’s no single path to accomplishing the best environmental compliance possible, but there are a few common elements used by every organization with a stellar compliance record:
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Proactivity: the best environmental performers keep track of their compliance throughout the year using alert systems and internal audits, and address issues as they arise instead of waiting until reporting season.
Organizations’ day-to-day operations have an environmental impact and therefore imposing a responsibility to manage and measure this impact. Sustainable environmental management ensures:
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Environmental compliance
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Prevention of Pollution
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Increased operational efficiency
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Cost savings
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Continual environmental performance
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Improved relations with regulatory agencies
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Reduced legal risk and potential liabilities
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Reduced future liabilities and constraints
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) within an ISO 14001 framework enables organizations to identify and meet (exceed) regulatory requirements. Implementing a management system provides organizations with the means to efficiently manage daily activities which may adversely impact the environment and mitigate potential constraints imposed by future requirements.
Today’s increasing environmental concerns and complex environmental regulations place a greater responsibility on organizations to develop reliable and sustainable environmental protection. An environmental audit is a thorough assessment of an organization’s operational policies and environmental practices in relation to applicable Federal, State, and local environmental regulations.
Audits are based on a structured review of operating procedures, activities, permits, records, and technical data. Audits can be used by an organization as a tool for:
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Attaining and/or maintaining regulatory compliance
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Monitoring or establishing responsible environmental management
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minimizing liabilities
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avoiding noncompliance fines and penalties
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improving operational efficiencies
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maintaining long-term compliance
Major benefits of having environmental audits conducted include: mitigating potential noncompliance penalties; developing sound compliance strategies; reducing operational inefficiencies; and achieving certification requirements (ISO14001, Energy Star, LEED, etc.) when elected.