CASE STUDY
Environmental Management
System for a Printing Company
PAKISTAN INSTITUTE OF QUALITY CONTORL
304, 3rd Floor, Eden Centre, 43 Jail Road
Lahore – Pakistan
Ph: (+92 42) 7563645-7562260 Fax: 7552656
E-mail: [email protected]; Web Site: http:///www.piqc.com.pk
 Pakistan Institute of Quality Control – (ICQI'1999)
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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
FOR A PRINTING COMPANY
by
Dr. T E Lim
IQCS Certification Singapore
1. INTRODUCTION
The ISO 14000 series of standards provides guidance for developing a
comprehensive approach to environmental management and for standardizing
some key environmental tools of analysis, such as labeling and life-cycle
assessment. The standards were developed by the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) with input from industry, government, and other
interested parties. Located in Geneva, Switzerland, the ISO was founded in
1947 to promote the development of international manufacturing, trade, and
communication standards.
The ISO 14000 Series of Standards :- :
ISO 14004 :
Environmental management systems - general
guidelines on principles, systems and supporting
techniques
ISO 14001 :
Environmental
management
systems
specification with guidance for use
ISO 14010 :
Guidelines for environmental auditing - general
principles
ISO 14011 :
Guidelines for environmental auditing - audit
procedures - Auditing of environmental
management systems
ISO 14012 :
Guidelines for environmental auditing qualification criteria for environmental auditors
ISO 14024 :
Environmental labelling - guidance principles,
practices and criteria for multiple criteria-based
practitioner programmes - guide for certification
procedures
ISO 14040 :
Life cycle assessment - principles and guidelines
ISO 14060 :
Guide for the inclusion of environmental aspects
in product standards
 Pakistan Institute of Quality Control – (ICQI'1999)
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This paper focuses on a simplified implementation of ISO 14001:1996 for a
printing company. The 14001 EMS requirements consists of six elements (clause
4.1 to 4.6),
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
General requirements
Environmental Policy
Planning
Implementation and operation
Checking and corrective action
Management review
The concept of continual development is illustrated by the figure 1.
Figure 1: Environmental Management System (EMS) components
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2. IMPLEMENTATION OF EMS
A systematic approach to implementation enables a company to save time and
resources. It is important that a study of the activities is carried out at an
appropriate scale. The information and analysis from this study can then be used to
initiate and implement the EMS. It is vital to commit enough time and resources to
ensure that the EMS policy, environmental aspects, environmental impacts, targets
and objectives are relevant to the nature of the company's activities. Environmental
policy should be carefully drafted. International environmental guiding principles
such as the Rio Declaration and International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
Business Charter for Sustainable Development can be used as a foundation for
drafting the environmental policy.
The main processes involved in a printing press company comprise:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Packaging
Supplies
Raw materials
Chemicals
The environmental aspects of these processes are identified shown by a flow chart
as shown in Figure 2:
The toxic nature of the printing chemicals involved in the printing process (Figure
2) poses some potential impacts on the environment and these are determined
using environmental impacts and aspects analysis chart shown in appendix A.
 Pakistan Institute of Quality Control – (ICQI'1999)
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Raw
Materials
Supplies
Packaging
- Skids and
- Spray
pallets
- Kraft wraps
powder
- Shop towels
Chemicals
- Cleaning
solvents
- Ink preservers
- Plate gums
- Plates
- Paper and
ink
PRINTING PRESS
Recycled
Waste Ink
Fuel blend
Web dryer
emission
Products
- Brochures
- Catalogues
- Art prints
- Annuals
Waste solvents
Recycled
Waste solutions
Sewer
Thermal
Oxidizer
Recycled
Waste plates
Recycled
Atmosphere
Transportation
to customers
Waste packaging
Trash
Waste paper
Waste oil & antifreeze
Recycled
Recycled
Solvent containing
towels
Fugitive air
emission
Centrifuge
Atmosphere
Recovered
solvents
Distillation
Spun shop
towels
Secondary use in
parts washers
Recycled back to company
Commercial Laundry
Sewer
Figure 2: Process flow of Printing Press Company
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3
Identifying the environmental aspects and determining the
environmental impacts
The determination of the ratings in the environmental aspect and impact
analysis varies in different organizations. Some use a more complex
method while others use a simpler approach.
Example 1:
Environmental impact = Severity x Frequency x Scale
Or
A simpler version: Environmental impact = Severity x Frequency
Some organizations use the addition instead of multiplication with the
proper weightage estimated to give the same result.
Environmental impact = Severity + Frequency + Scale
In the impact and aspect analysis, the rating of each aspect with respect to
each impact is evaluated. This rating defines the degree of the resultant
impact of affecting the environment in terms of the severity, frequency,
and scale or magnitude.
SEVERITY
The severity is defined differently depending on the type of pollution
incurred. Each impact has its own tolerance limits and ranges. It is
explained clearly in Table 1 (Appendix A) how each impact is defined
from the most severe (level 5) to the least severe (level 1).
FREQUENCY
The frequency states the amount of time at which the pollutants are
emitted into the environment. For example, referring to Table 2
(Appendix A), if the pollutant is released into the environment least once
every day, it is rated at level 2. Some organizations may extend the
 Pakistan Institute of Quality Control – (ICQI'1999)
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frequency of occurrence to years depending on the nature of their
activities and products.
Scale
An example of scale can be an estimate of the impact on a Likert scale
rating of 1 to 5.
Very Small
Scale of
Impact
1
Small
Medium
2
3
Large
4
Extensive
5
Scale can be estimated by approximately the magnitude of the
environmental impact.
4. Example for a printing company
The environmental aspects over which the company can control or
expected to have an influence are identified and its impact determined.
After defining the frequency and severity rating for the EIA analysis, the
analysis is carried out as shown in the example below:
Aspect = Solvent disposal
Impact = Water pollution
To determine the Severity rating:
The degree of severity is measured in terms of PSI of printing waste
discharged into the air. From the company statistics, 60 PPM of air quality
was measured. Therefore, the severity rating is level 3.
To determine the Frequency rating:
The frequency at which the waste is discharged is defined in this example.
From the company statistics, the 60 PPM of printing waste was discharged
every day, therefore the Frequency rating is at level 2.
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The analysis is performed on all the identified aspects and ratings are then
total up. In this example the highest four ratings are considered to be
significant and the EMP for them are established.
As seen from the Environmental impact and aspect analysis table enclosed
(Appendix A2, A3 and A4), the 4 main sub-processes that have the most
impact on the environment are found to be namely packaging, cleaning,
printing and transportation.
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Establishing the Environmental Management Program
Having evaluated the impacts and aspects of the 4 processes with the
highest weighted values, the EMP (refer to Appendix B) was established
to achieve the company's environmental objectives and targets ie to
minimize the amount of pollutants discharged. The amount of pollutants
emitted from the processes were also checked against those given in the
environmental standards in the local environmental legislation such as:
Types of
pollution
Air pollution
Acts
Clean Air Act 1971 (amended 1975 and
1980)
Clean Air (Prohibition of the Use of
Open Fires) Regulations 1973
Clean Air (Standards) Regulations
1972
Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Act
1983
Road Traffic Act 1970
Noise pollution
Control of Noise from Construction Site
Regulations 1991 Environmental Public
Health Act x 1974
Under Section 47 of the Environmental
Public Health Act 1974
Water pollution
Composition of Offenses Regulations
1991
Detergents and Equipment Regulations
1991
Environmental Public Health Act 1974
Oil Regulations 991
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Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk
Regulations 1991
Port of Singapore Authority Act
Hazardous
Materials
Poisons Act
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Environmental Public Health Act 1974
Environmental Public Health (Toxic
Industrial Waste) Regulations 1988
Petroleum Act 1970
Poisons (Hazardous Substances) Rules
1986
Radiation Protection Act of 1991
Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage
Systems Regulations 1976
Sewerage Treatment Plant Regulations
1976
Water Pollution Control and Drainage
Act 1975
Environmental Policy
An example of the environmental policy:
Our printing company produces printing products according to customers’
specification. The corporate goal is to conduct our business to protect and
preserve the environment within the ability of the company.
In fulfilling this responsibility, we adhere to the following fundamental
principles.
We will:
• Comply fully with environmental laws and regulations,
• Consider environmental factors and the full acquisition, use, and
disposal costs when making planning, purchasing, and operating
decisions.
• Work continuously to improve the effectiveness of our environmental
management.
• Provide appropriate environmental training and educate employees to
be environmentally responsible on the job and at home.
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• Monitor our environmental performance regularly through rigorous
evaluations.
• Seek to prevent pollution before it is produced, reduce the amount of
waste at our facilities, and support pollution prevention by our
customers and suppliers.
• Use energy efficiently throughout our operations.
• Re-use and recycle whenever possible.
• Use environmentally preferred materials.
• Clean up residual pollution from past operations in a cost-effective
manner.
• Work cooperatively with others to further common environmental
objectives.
• Communicate, reinforce this policy and provide training to all our
employees throughout the company.
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Environmental Management Review
Environmental management review are carried at appropriate intervals to
ensure the EMS continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.
Appendix C shows a simplified example of an environmental management
review record.
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Summary
The ISO 14001 EMS standard allows some flexibility for any organization
implementing the EMS. Targets and objectives are set by the organization.
As such, implementation and certification of an organization EMS can be
achieved without much difficulty with a proper knowledge of the
environmental issues, a committed management team, a proper
interpretation of the standard. In the long run it usually result in cost
saving, enhanced prestige for the organization and a better environment
for any country.
 Pakistan Institute of Quality Control – (ICQI'1999)
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