Environmental pollutions and its effects

One of the greatest problems that the world is facing today is that of environmental
pollution, increasing with every passing year and causing grave and irreparable damage to
the earth. Environmental pollution consists of five basic types of pollution, namely, air,
water, soil, noise and light.

Air pollution is by far the most harmful form of pollution in our environment. Air
pollution is cause by the injurious smoke emitted by cars, buses, trucks, trains, and factories,
namely sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. Even smoke from burning
leaves and cigarettes are harmful to the environment causing a lot of damage to man and the
atmosphere. Evidence of increasing air pollution is seen in lung cancer, asthma, allergies, and
various breathing problems along with severe and irreparable damage to flora and fauna.
Even the most natural phenomenon of migratory birds has been hampered, with severe air
pollution preventing them from reaching their seasonal metropolitan destinations of centuries.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC),  released from refrigerators, air-conditioners, deodorants

and insect repellents cause severe damage to the Earth’s environment.  This gas has slowly
damaged the atmosphere and depleted the ozone layer leading to global warming.

Water pollution caused industrial waste products released into lakes, rivers, and other
water bodies, has made marine life no longer hospitable. Humans pollute water with large
scale disposal of garbage, flowers, ashes and other household waste. In many rural areas one
can still find people bathing and cooking in the same water, making it incredibly filthy. Acid
rain further adds to water pollution in the water. In addition to these, thermal pollution and
the depletion of dissolved oxygen aggravate the already worsened condition of the water
bodies. Water pollution can also indirectly occur as an offshoot of soil pollution – through
surface runoff and leaching to groundwater.

Noise pollution, soil pollution and light pollution too are the damaging the environment
at an alarming rate. Noise pollution include aircraft noise, noise of cars, buses, and trucks,
vehicle horns, loudspeakers, and industry noise, as well as high-intensity sonar effects which
are extremely harmful for the environment.

Maximum noise pollution occurs due to one of modern science’s best discoveries –
the motor vehicle, which is responsible for about ninety percent of all unwanted noise
worldwide.

Soil pollution, which can also be called soil contamination, is a result of acid rain,
polluted water, fertilizers etc., which leads to bad crops. Soil contamination occurs when
chemicals are released by spill or underground storage tank leakage which releases heavy
contaminants into the soil. These may include hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE,
herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Light Pollution includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference.

Environmental Management System

Environmental management system (EMS) refers to the management of an

organization's environmental programs in a comprehensive, systematic, planned and
documented manner. It includes the organizational structure, planning and resources for
developing, implementing and maintaining policy for environmental protection

An Environmental Management System (EMS) are serves as a tool to improve

environmental performance and provides a systematic way of managing an organization’s
environmental affairs. Besides, it is the aspect of the organization’s overall management
structure that addresses immediate and long-term impacts of its products, services and
processes on the environment. EMS gives order and consistency for organizations to address
environmental concerns through the allocation of resources, assignment of responsibility and
ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes also focuses on continual
improvement of the system.

An EMS follows a Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle, or PDCA. The diagram shows the

process of first developing an environmental policy, planning the EMS, and then
implementing it. The process also includes checking the system and acting on it. The model
is continuous because an EMS is a process of continual improvement in which an
organization is constantly reviewing and revising the system. This is a model that can be used
by a wide range of organizations from manufacturing facilities to service industries to
government agencies.
 The key of EMS is about the Policy Statement, a statement of the organization’s
commitment to the environment. Second is identification of Significant Environmental
Impacts, an environmental attributes of products, activities and services and their effects on
the environment. Development objectives and targets are for an environmental goal for the
organization. Implementation is the plans to meet objectives and targets. Next is training, an
instruction to ensure employees are aware and capable of fulfilling their environmental
responsibilities and the last is management review.

An EMS is flexible and does not require organizations to necessarily “retool” their
existing activities. An EMS establishes a management framework by which an organization’s
impacts on the environment can be systematically identified and reduced. For example, many
organizations, including counties and municipalities, have active and effective pollution
prevention activities underway. These could be incorporated into the overall EMS.

Typically organizations develop effective environmental management systems that

help assist continuous improvement of their environmental performance. However, there are
some key issues that need to be addressed as their effectiveness varies greatly from one
organization to another. They are: management needs to be fully committed; plan the ems
and make the system user-friendly; don't over complicate the aspects register; clearly identify
the environmental compliance requirements as the evaluation will be easier to demonstrate;
provide adequate financial, physical and human resources; set measurable objectives and
targets that facilitate continuous improvement; and, work on the philosophy of continuous
improvement (Burden, 2010). As an example, the Massachusetts DEP has opted to assist with
the use of EMS in compliance cases. The EPA also produces Guidance on the Use of EMS in
Enforcement.

Decide not to buy from the company; good environmental performance will ensure
continuation of the widest possible market.

Environmental Management System (EMS) international standard ISO 14001

ISO 14000 refers to a family of voluntary standards and guidance documents to help
organizations address environmental issues. Included in the family are standards for
Environmental Management Systems, environmental and EMS auditing, environmental
labeling, performance evaluation and life-cycle assessment.
 In September 1996, the International Organization for Standardization published the
first edition of ISO 14001, the Environmental Management Systems standard. This is an
international voluntary standard describing specific requirements for an EMS. ISO 14001 is a
specification standard to which an organization may receive certification or registration. ISO
14001 is considered the foundation document of the entire series. A second edition of ISO
14001 was published in 2004, updating the standard.

Questions may arise when implementing an EMS following the ISO 14001 standard.
The U.S. body that provides input into the standard's development is the U.S. TAG
(Technical Advisory Group) to TC 207 (Technical Committee). This same body has
established a formal process to respond to questions that may arise regarding clarification of
the ISO 14001 ("the standard"). Responses will reflect the interpretation of the Standard as
intended during the drafting of the Standard and may be found in the "Clarification of Intent
of ISO 14001."

Benefits of Environmental Management System

Cost Savings

Successful environmental management will evaluate all opportunities for cost savings,
the most common benefits derive from a review of resource/ energy utilization and its
efficiency, forcing full consideration of alternative energy sources and their cost
effectiveness. The other primary element will be minimization of waste and result and cost of
disposal.

Customer Requirements

Many companies have addressed the management system for customer requirements
related to quality and ISO9000. The range and diversity of customer needs and expectations
is constantly growing with many customers increasing preference for use of suppliers and
sub-contractors who can demonstrate that they are good environmental citizens. No customer
would want to risk a tarnished reputation (or non-compliance to legislation) from the poor
environmental performance of their suppliers and sub-contractors. The safest option for the
customer is to use suppliers and sub-contractors who can demonstrate their positive
environmental performance.
Corporate Image

The ability to demonstrate a responsible environmental attitude can dramatically

improve the image of the corporation fostering better relations with the company’s stake
holders. Even more importantly, adverse publicity about the organizations environmental
performance is always highly damaging.

Legislation

The scope and severity of environmental legislation is ever increasing. A management

system that ensures recognition of the requirements and compliance with them will ensure
that fines are avoided and staffs are not imprisoned in addition to avoidance of the publicity
that inevitably follows an environmental prosecution.

Investment

The investors are increasingly moving to green portfolio’s, and it is interesting that
the financial performance of these portfolios has been good in comparison to more traditional
investment. In seeking additional investment for the organization it is sensible to ensure the
widest scope and this is only aided by a demonstrably sound environmental performance.

Insurance

Insurance companies are fully aware of the risk to their policies from poor
environmental performance of the insured. Companies with a sound and effective
environmental management system are able to demonstrate that they pose less risk to the
insurance company and create a negotiating tool for lower premiums. Some insurance
companies now require an environmental audit of the company prior to agreeing cover.

Marketing Opportunities

All companies seeking growth obviously want their product and services attractive to
a widest possible market. Poor environmental performance will encourage many potential
customers to