ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT : 10 KEY POINTS TO ASSESS DURING A FACTORY VISIT WEBINAR Francesca Giometti Senior Environmental Advisor and Training Manager April 2020
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT : 10 KEY POINTS TO ASSESS DURING A FACTORY VISIT
WEBINAR Francesca Giometti
Senior Environmental Advisor and Training Manager
April 2020
3
Francesca Giometti
Senior Environmental Advisor & Training Manager
WELCOME EVERYONE!
• 30-min presentation and15-min QA with anonymous polls
• Key take-away at the end of webinar
• Recording and presentation file will be shared
Agenda today
4 35%
Brief overview of environmental audit
Key assessment points on solid waste management
Key assessment points on wastewater & Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) management
01
03
04
Key assessment points on chemical management 02
Let’s warm ourselves up! Poll 1 – how involved are you?
5
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT 01
Brief overview of environmental audit
7
Which are the performance areas in an
environmental audit?
1 Compliance with laws and regulations
2 Environmental Management System
3 Water use
5 Chemical Management
6 Wastewater treatment 7
Solid and Hazardous waste.
8 Emissions to air
9 Nuisances
10
STA
RT
E
ND
4 Energy use & GHG emissions
Emergency response
Brief overview of environmental audit
8
How is environmental audit performed?
On-site
observations
Documents Interview
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KEY ASSESSMENT POINTS ON CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT 02
Poll 2 – how much do you think you understand chemical management?
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Chemical management
11
Key point 1: dedicated store for chemical products
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Chemical management
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Key point 1: dedicated store for chemical products
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Chemical management
13
Key point 1: dedicated store for chemical products
What to check?
The chemicals should be stored in
dedicated area(s) (room/ building)
separated from the production area
The access should be restricted: closed
door and/or list of authorized persons to
enter in the chemical storage area
Why?
• To reduce the workers’ exposure to the
chemicals
• To reduce the risk of incidents
• To keep chemical products in good
conditions
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Chemical management
14
Key point 2: segregation of incompatible chemicals
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Dedicated storage area for flammable
products
Chemical management
15
Key point 2: segregation of incompatible chemicals
What to check?
Incompatible chemicals (according to their
hazard class) are segregated.
Therefore it is important that the purchased
chemicals are provided with:
• Accurate label identifying their hazard
category (e.g. flammable, oxidizing, toxic,
etc.)
• Safety Data Sheet
Why?
• To prevent accidental mixing which could
cause fire, explosion, or toxic gases.
Chemical management
16
Key point 3: safe and clean chemical storage area
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Chemical management
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Key point 3: safe and clean chemical storage area
What to check?
Clean space
Ventilated/aerated
No sticky and dirty floor
Containers kept closed
No eletrical cables
Why?
• Reduce risk of accident
• Reduce workers’ exposure to chemical vapors,
etc.
• Keep chemicals in good conditions
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Chemical management
18
Key point 4: correct and complete chemical labeling
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Sodium hydroxide is strongly irritating and corrosive
Chemical management
19
What to check?
Label is as per the GHS
reference (Global harmonized
system for the labeling and
identification of chemicals)
Why?
• Correct identification of
chemical hazards
• Same label template for all
chemical products (easier for
the workers understanding)
Key point 4: correct and complete chemical labeling
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KEY ASSESSMENT POINTS ON SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT 03
Solid waste management
21
Key point 5: Empty chemical drums storage conditions
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Solid waste management
22
Key point 5: Empty chemical drums storage conditions
What to check?
The empty chemical containers must be stored
in a dedicated shed away from the production
sections.
The ground must be hard-surfaced (concrete-
paved).
The roof must but be in good conditions; no
hole.
No residues inside the drums.
Why?
• To prevent soil and groundwater contamination
• To avoid rainwater to be in contact with
chemicals drums Eurofins | AQM ©
Solid waste management
23
Key point 6: sludge storage conditions
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Solid waste management
24
Key point 6: sludge storage conditions
What to check?
Sludge is not in direct contact with the soil
Sludge protected from rainwater
Drying sludge system
Sludge temporary stored away from production
areas and from people access
Why?
• Avoid soil and groundwater contamination
• Avoid workers’ exposure to hazardous
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KEY ASSESSMENT POINTS ON WASTEWATER & EFFLUENT TREATMENT PLANT (ETP) MANAGEMENT
04
Wastewater & ETP management
26
Key point 7: water flow meters installed at ETP inlet/outlet
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Factory Effluent Treatment plant (ETP) Effluent discharge Water source
ETP inlet meter
ETP outlet meter
Wastewater & ETP management
27
Key point 7: water flow meters installed at ETP inlet/outlet
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1. Sensor installed in the inlet open
channel of the plant (radar and ultrasonic
technology)
2. Sensor
connected to
a control
system
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Electromagnetic meter on a pipeline
Wastewater & ETP management
28
What to check?
There is a water flow meter to monitor the
volume of wastewater entering into the ETP
The water flow meter is properly installed
(the pipe is always full of water so the
measuring is accurate)
Why?
1) To control the wastewater volume to be
treated is within the ETP capacity
2) To check the data are consistent when
comparing the water use in the production
and the wastewater generated
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Evidence that the meter is not correctly installed
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Key point 7: water flow meters installed at ETP inlet/outlet
Wastewater & ETP management
29
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Numbers jumping from a value to another with huge gap in few seconds = evidence that the meter is not correctly installed
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Key point 7: water flow meters installed at ETP inlet/outlet
Wastewater & ETP management
30 Source: http://rsb.gov.ae/assets/documents/191735/wastewater_flow_monitoring_guide_2.pdf
Key point 7: water flow meters installed at ETP inlet/outlet
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Wastewater & ETP management
31
Key point 8: observations of a water sample at ETP
outlet point
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Wastewater & ETP management
32
Key point 8: observations of a water sample at ETP
outlet point
What to check?
No bad smell
No persistent Foam
No turbidity / dense color
No high temperature
Compare ETP outlet water sample
and last tank water sample
Turbidity / color
Why?
• Bad smell, persistent foam, etc. are
main signals of potential issues!!!
• The appearance of the ETP outlet
sample should be consistent with
the one of the last ETP tank sample
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Wastewater & ETP management
33
Key point 9: observations of ETP treatment steps
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Wastewater & ETP management
34
Key point 9: observations of ETP treatment steps
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Wastewater & ETP management
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Key point 9: observations of ETP treatment steps
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Wastewater & ETP management
36
Key point 9: observations of wastewater drainage system
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Wastewater & ETP management
37
Key point 10: on-site lab/testing process for the ETP
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What to check?
Instruments for testing on-site
Calibrated instruments
Procedures for testing
Records
Turbidity / color
Why?
• For a correct monitoring of the
effluent treatment process efficiency
• Continual control for a better
operation of the ETP
Poll 3 – How should we support factories in making progress?
38
QUESTIONS?
Key take-away
40
(2) 2 major hazardous waste streams in the
factory: empty chemical drums and sludge.
To avoid the risk of soil contamination
during on-site storage phase, simple steps
can be taken: dedicated warehouse for
hazardous waste with roof in good
conditions and hard-surfaced floor.
(3) Wastewater management key points
seen today:
- Water flow meters correctly installed
- Observations of ETP outlet sample
- Minimum lab equipment needed on-site
(1) Chemical Management good
practices can’t be implemented on
the long term without a good
understanding of the chemical
hazards and risks
Examples of good practices seen today:
- Dedicated store-room for chemical
- Segregation of incompatible
chemicals
- Correct identification of chemical
hazards through GHS labeling
- Safe and clean spaces to reduce risk
of accidents
THANK YOU!
41
Retrieve our webinar on “Getting started
with environment audit” at our YouTube
channel!
Francesca Giometti
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