What is Environmental Compliance?

The concept of environmental compliance refers to conforming to legal requirements or official environmental policies. Organisations must comply with the following environmental elements:

• Toxic release inventory
• Storm water permits
• Waste management
• Release of fumes into environment
• Safe drinking water
• Clean air requirement
• Wildlife and plants
• Forest resources

It may be beneficial to implement an environmental management system (EMS) to be able to prove your compliance with environmental laws. Such a system will keep track of all the actions your organization takes.

What is environmental conformance monitoring?

Monitoring the compliance of an organization with respect to environmentally harmful effects (like emissions, or pollutants) is part of environmental compliance monitoring.

A monitoring process may need to be carried out on an ongoing basis in order to establish whether the company’s actions and behaviors are actually changing. It might be necessary to revisit a site in six months’ time if an organization dumped waste, to ensure the silt barriers are still adequate and that there has been no leachate.

What does it mean to be compliant?

By complying, you are adhering to a rule or standard that has been set for you, such as an environmental law.

So you do not incur heavy fines, you must be in compliance. Additionally, stakeholders of your organization will be more loyal and your customers will be able to clearly see that you are meeting their expectations.

Here are some key responsibilities of an Environmental Manager:

• Reporting to and interacting with top management

• Assisting the organization with the preparation of environmental reports

• Establishing environmental targets for the organization

• Knowing legislation and regulations both national and international

• Educating the organization’s employees

• Interacting with public authorities on behalf of the organization

• Contact point for applications and submissions seeking permits and consents that impact the environment

*The roles and responsibilities of an Environmental Manager may vary between organisations. This depends on how the organisation is structured.