| Introduction |
Environmental auditing is a management tool comprising a systematic, documented, periodic and objective evaluation of how well the management systems are performing with the aim of:
Waste prevention and reduction
Compliance with the regulatory requirements
Environmental practices by the company's management
Placing environmental information in public domain
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| Objectives |
The environmental audit helps in pollution control, improved production, health and safety and conservation of natural resources. Therefore it's overall objective is sustainable development. The objectives of environmental audit in an industry are:
To determine the mass balance of various materials used and review the conversion efficiencies of process equipment and accordingly fix up norms for operation performance and minimization of waste.
To identify the areas of water usage and wastewater generation and determine the characteristics of wastewater.
To determine the solid waste and hazardous wastes generated, their sources, quantities and characteristics.
To Identify the possibilities of waste minimisation and recovery and recycling of wastes
To determine the performance of existing waste treatment/control systems.
To determine the impact on the surrounding environment (groundwater, stream, residential area and agricultural area etc.) due to disposal of wastewater, emissions and solid waste from the industry and accordingly identify suitable preventive measures.
To verify compliance with the standards prescribed by the regulatory bodies under the water act, air act and environmental protection act.
To check the effectiveness of 1) organizational set-up of the industry for decision making, record keeping, and environmental management with special reference to their technical viewpoint, attitudinal viewpoint and training; 2) environmental policy of the company. |
| Audit Procedure |
Pre-Audit Activities
Obtain preliminary information through the questionnaire survey
Review and identify main areas of consideration
Prepare audit team
Organise resources
Develop a visit programme
Allocate specific task to team members
Activities at the site
Interviews with a cross-section of staff, verification of records of a company, field inspection.
Material Balance: Determine process Inputs/outputs, quantify products/byproducts, account for wastewater, emissions and solid/Haz waste. Incorporate data on flow sheets derive material balance and water balance.
Waste Flow: Identify waste flow lines, obtain details of pre-treatment and final treatment, obtain details of disposal.
Monitoring & Analysis: Design monitoring network for sampling wastewater, solid waste. Identify the parameters for analysis and analyse samples.
Concluding Session: Draft report preparation, presentation of draft report and discussion with the management.
Post Audit Activities
Evaluate performance & adequacy of the waste treatment facilities
Identify the problems related to waste generation, treatment and disposal
Segregate waste and identify waste reduction measures
Evaluate the technical and attitudinal capabilities of staff
Formulate recommendations for the best practicable waste management
Final report preparation with recommendations
An action plan with the frame for implementation
Follow up
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