Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control

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Environmental management requires that activities that have impacts on the environment must undergo continuous review and improvement. This entails the management of all activities and technologies involved to ensure the environmental performance of an organization or company. Firms integrate environmental issues into their overall operations and management. This ensures that the company conducts its activities within the framework of sustainability and limiting the impacts of those activities on the environment. An environmental management system is an amalgamation of systematic approaches aimed at assisting companies in formulating environmental management policies and utilizing company resources to achieve the goals of corporate environmental responsibility. The EMS is also integral to all management systems such as “organizational structure, planning, activities, responsibilities, procedures, processes, and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining environmental policy.” (Pun, Hui and Lee 2001, p.113) The systematic approach of the EMS helps companies to organize work methodologies or processes integral to their activities. Some of the areas addressed include: “Positive prevention, optimum utilization of resources and cost reduction; Compliance with environmental legislation; Promoting awareness of pollution prevention; Formulating contingency plans; Enhancing training and management and Improving the corporate image.” (p.113).

Environmental management is dynamic and it is concurrent to the existing management strategies and agenda of the company. It is also taken into consideration existing environmental legislation, changes in technology, and market pressures (Environmental Management Systems 2008). Statutes and legislations pertaining to environmental compliance enforce the need to implement environmental management and monitoring of activities of companies that may have an impact on the environment. If companies have environment management policies, the EU IPPC directive mandates that member states must have some form of a regulatory body to ensure that national and international policies on pollution are followed. Article 3.1 of the EU IPPC defined the main tasks of the regulatory body in ensuring the basic obligations of operators are being met (EU Directives 2008, p.12).

Within the context of environmental management, some form of standards must be established. The EU IPPC directives Article 10 require that member states establish the best available techniques (BAT) and environmental quality standards (p.14). It is with these standards that organizations are able to establish environmental management goals in conjunction with their organizational goals and strategies. Emmott (1997) observed that the concept of IPPC is broad in that it covers and addresses pollution problems in three mediums (air, land, and water) (p.1). The intent of considering an integrated policy towards environmental regulation is the possibility of pollution transferring from one medium to another (p.1). The directive also ensures that member states should at least have established some principles that industrial installations should comply with. The principles include making sure preventive measures are instituted against pollution; minimize pollution; avoid waste production and encourage resource recovery; using energy efficiently; ensuring environmental accidents are avoided and if they do occur, implement ways to clean up and prevent contamination (p.2).

Emmott (1997) also mentioned the UK’s integrated pollution control (IPC), which was introduced in the Environmental Protection Act of 1990. UK implemented the integrated system earlier than the EU directive (p.3). In the UK IPC, the best available technique (BAT) was introduced as the best available technique not entailing excessive costs or BATNEEC (p.3). One could observe that both statutes appear to comply with the principles of environmental management but in a broader context. Environmental management strategies that the company or organization may implement voluntarily may be specific to the needs and capabilities of the company. Environment management systems may also be implemented based on the focus of the company in the aspect of assuming corporate social responsibility.

Emmott (1997) observed that both the EU IPPC and the UK IPC made no mention or consideration to use the life cycle approach in decision-making. Whereas, in the environmental management context that companies may adopt, a primary concern in major decisions to manufacture certain products is determining its life cycle. The EU IPPC and the UK IPC were instituted primarily to perform the regulatory nature of pollution control. In the environmental management milieu, some standards or regulations must be established. This enables companies to integrate environmental management systems to gauge the level of success or compliance. Without such measures or enforcement, it would be difficult to assess. The main role of the IPPC statute is to make sure that environmental regulations are followed.

When the world cannot do business, or life, in the same old way, something new must be born. One advantage arising out of the trauma will be the inability of organizations and people to continue in the ecologically blind ways of the current period. The present system is self-destructive and obviously cannot last. Humans are being challenged to find a way of life that does not relentlessly take from the earth. This is how a sustainable economy, which neither poisons nor depletes resources, comes into existence. Politicians will no longer be able to appeal successfully to the lowest common denominator by arguing, for example, that cheap fossil fuels are a rightful part of one’s standard of living or that environmental and labor regulations must be relaxed because there is a recession. It will soon be all too clear that economic and ecological health is inextricably linked.

Adverse environmental changes will gradually push people into developing new ideas and visions about how the future must look. This vision is now becoming pervasive and powerful, with large numbers of people sensing what must be done. People know that there is no future unless it is an ecological future.

It is, therefore, incumbent upon organizations that they function to promote the cleanliness of the environment instead of polluting the land. An example is in British Columbia where the management of organizations is very conscious of the fact that the environment must be chemistry-free. Thus, organizations such as Nathan Printing Services, a full-service printing service, have begun to use waterless inks. Papers are being properly recycled and because of these, the press will be able to attract new customers. Customers commend their good quality and the fact that they are environmentally friendly. (Leibrandt, 2007).

Even schools have become more environmentally responsible. An example is the University of Connecticut that boasts of a green campus fund. School officials are making sure that building projects are constructed according to a set of environmentally sound principles in constructing the building’s impact. There will also be new recycle bins as well as bicycle racks. The Uconn’s Office of Environmental Policy is spearheaded by the school officials and this provides a role model for other universities and companies. Environmental standards are being followed in all its building projects. (Breen, 2006).

In essence, the IPPC must work within the context of environmental management. It ensures that all companies are committed to implementing sustainability standards in their production or business activities. Just as how companies implement environmental management systems (EMS) and making them integral to their overall operations and business strategies, the IPPC must be incorporated in the overall national strategy for environmental sustainability among EU member countries.

Bibliography

Breen, Tom. Uconn looking to become more environmentally friendly. (2006). Journal Inquirer. Web.

EU Directives. 2008. Directive Ec of the European Parliament and of the Council. Concerning Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control. Web.

Emmott, N. 1997. The Theory and Practice of IPPC: Case Studies from the UK and Hungary and the Implications for Future EU Environmental Policy. European Environment, vol. 7, pp.1–6.

Environmental Management Systems. 2008. Web.

Leibrandt, Tom. (2007). Leveraging Environmentally Friendly Printing for Business Growth.

Pun, K.F., Hui, I.K. and Lee, W.K. 2001. An EMS Approach to Environmentally Friendly Construction Operations. The TQM Magazine, vol.13, no. 2, pp.112-119.

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Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control

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