ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT

A systematic, independent internal review to check

whether the results of environmental work tally with the
targets.
Involves studying documents and reports, interviewing
key people in the organization, etc to assess the level of
deviations between targets and results.
E. Audit (ISO 14001) A systematic & documented verification
process of objectively obtaining & evaluating evidence to determine
whether organization's EMS conforms criteria set by organization &
for communicating the results of this process to management

Reasons for EA :

To verify compliance
To review implementation of policies
To identify liabilities
To review management system
To identify needs ,strength and
weaknesses
To assess environmental performance
To promote environmental awareness

Objectives
To evaluate efficiency of resource utilization
To identify areas of risk
Environmental liabilities
Weakness in management systems & problems
in complying with regulatory requirements
To ensure the control on waste / pollutant
generation
The EA deals with :

1. Design specification & layout : while setting up an industry,
adequate provisions are made necessary to upgrade pollution control
measures to meet future environmental standards

2. Resource Management : EA will provide data to management on
the efficient use of resources per unit production & help in resource
consumption and waste minimization

3. Pollution control and System Procedures : EA ensures that systems
& procedures governing environmental activities/operations of
pollution control equipment are rightly followed & determines the
efficiency of the system in identifying conditions & inviting corrective
actions in a timely & effectively manner
The EA deals with :

4. Emergency plan and response/ safety system : Review of emergency
response system will ensure adequate knowledge alertness &
readiness of staff concerned to effectively face the emergency

5. Medical health facilities/ industrial hygiene & occupational health :
Productive element of an industry is dependent on health of its
human resources. Audit will provide an insight into actual
requirements to warn suitable orientation of existing facilities

6. Confirmation to regulatory requirements : As the new standards &
regulations are stipulated, Factory manager may not be aware of the
latest requirements & this will make top management/owners
vulnerable for prosecution under various environmental acts. Audit
helps-compare the existing status with the stipulation & standards
prescribed by various agencies & ensure compliance
Types of environmental audit
Object based types: Based on objectives
Client driven type: Based on client who has
commissioned or ordered the audit.
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT TYPES
Liabilities Audits Management Audits Activities Audits
Compliance audit Corporate audit Site audit
Operational Risk
audit
System audit Waste audit
Acquisition audit Policy audit Product audit
Health and safety
audit
Issue audit Cross-boundary audit
o Compliance Audit - deals with environmental legislations,
regulations, emission limits etc.
o Operational Risk Audit - deals with environmental
damaging activities in raw material & product storage-
handling & manufacturing process
o Acquisition Audit - Assess the liability due to contaminated
land & building remediation cost
o Health & Safety Audit - Assessment of adequacy of
personnel protective equipment safety shoes, goggles,
helmets etc.
LIABILITIES AUDITS
o Corporate Audit - Concerned with organisational structures,
roles, responsibilities, policy implementation, awareness &
communications with subsidiary
o System Audit - to check system against policy & standard
ISO 14001
o Policy Audit - To review & re-assess the relevance of policy
in light of developments within organisation & outside- legal,
technical, financial
o Issues Audit - To establish environmental mgmt. plan &
target
MANAGEMENT AUDITS
o Site Audit - examines all aspects of facilities, performance
w.r.t environment
o Waste Audit - identifies and quantifies waste stream to
waste minimization program
o Product Audit - Covers several aspects of environmental
impact through design, manufacture, use & disposal
o Cross-Boundary Audit - Assess activities which cut across
departments or different units
ACTIVITIES AUDITS
Category of Audit

Ordered By

Regulatory External Regulatory Authority
Independent External
Buyer, bank, customer,
insurance firm, etc.
Internal
Top management,
Members of Board
Third Party
Top management,
Members of Board
Environmental Audit Types: Client Driven
EA Steps:-
1. Audit preparation: This includes choice of auditor/audit group,
collection of background material and planning of the audit
orientation.

2. A systematic scrutiny or review of a facility : Depending on the
orientation and goals of the audit, the focus of the scrutiny differs.
This helps in identifying the areas of improvement
E.g.- Depending on the production process

3. Reporting : This step involves reporting of observation of
deficiencies and possible alternatives...

4. Follow up: Following up of the results is an important part of the
audit process
Why an Audit.?
Primary purpose of Audit is often reflection of Priorities &
Interest
Industries sees Audit as means of reducing their own
environmental risk taking
Environmental groups & organizations tries to minimize the
risks to the environment through Audit
Reduced risk of legal actions against a firm as a result of
excessive emissions or accidents, reduction in certain types of
pollutants & waste, loss of material & environmental burden etc.
also makes Audit necessary
What to Audit.?
Anything from environmental related decision to functions and
maintenance of an equipment
An organisational structure & procedure is created within the
firm
Audit evaluates whether structure & procedure is followed,
whether it is formalized and systemised
Audit verifies the practices, procedures, division of work &
responsibility, quality management issues etc.
Who should Audit.?
Industry itself can do Audit- Internal Audit
Regulatory agencies can do Audit- questionnaires and checklist
which both companies & agencies use are more or less similar
Social firms and people can also Audit-like Gramasabha,
Panchayat etc.
Increasing environmental consciousness among consumers,
efforts to improve quality, development towards greater
standardization are major causes for Social-Environmental Audit
How to Audit.?
Methodology & practices are similar to Financial and Quality
Audits
Competent individuals who do not have direct responsibility for
the areas that are to be investigated should conduct the Audit-
Systematic, Objective & Independent
Cooperation from personnel in the area under investigation
helps in better understanding and corrective actions
Documentation & periodicity is a major requirement
Audit process assumes that the auditor recommends
improvement in an objective & independent way


WASTE AUDIT
Energy audit

Auditing of EMS
Preparing the audit :
Audit objectives and scope
Audit criteria
Identification of the auditee's organisational and functional units
to be audited
Identification of those elements of the auditee's EMS that are of
high audit priority
Procedures for auditing the auditee's EMS elements as
appropriate for the auditee's organisation


Auditing of EMS
Working & reporting languages of the audit
Identification of reference documents
Expected time & duration for major audit activities
Dates & places where audit is to be conducted
Identification of audit team members
Schedule of meetings to be held with auditee's management
Confidentiality requirements
Report content & format, expected date of issue
Distribution of the audit report; document retention requirements
Conducting the audit
Audit are conducted with an opening meeting to:
Introduce the members of audit team to auditee's management
Review the scope, objectives & audit plan and agree on the audit
timetable
Provide a short summary of methods & procedures to be used to
conduct the audit
Establish official communication links b/w audit team & auditee
Conducting the audit
Confirm the resources & facilities needed by the audit team are
available
Confirm time and date of closing meeting
Promote active participation by the auditee
Review relevant site safety & emergency procedures for audit
team
Content of audit report
Audit report include following :
Identification of the organisation audited and the client
Agreed objectives, scope and plan of audit
Agreed criteria, including a list of reference documents
Against which the audit was conducted
Period covered by audit and the date(s) the audit was conducted
Identification of auditee's representatives participating in the
audit
Identification of the audit-team members
Content of audit report
Audit report include following :
Statement of the confidential nature of the contents
Distribution list for the audit report
Summary of audit process including any obstacles encountered
Audit conclusions such as - EMS conformance to the EMS audit
criteria, whether system is properly implemented & maintained,
whether internal management review process is able to ensure
continuing suitability & effectiveness of the EMS etc.