Monitoring Environmental Performance
Level 5		 Unit 7
Monitoring Other Components

All records should be easily accessible and orderly, particularly in anticipation of routine inspection from the enforcing authority.

Smaller manufacturing sites can have a centralised system of records. However, for the larger manufacturing sites with more complex processes it is perhaps more useful to have records for each process/plant kept with that particular area of the organisation. These detailed records could incorporate the following:

  • how well any pollution abatement equipment is working
  • a drainage map/layout for specific plant
  • origins and location of the most significant trade effluents
  • records of all substances used, their storage and use
  • means by which the environment is protected against hazardous substances used and stored on site
    •

The list above is not exhaustive and gives you a few ideas.

EXERCISE

(a): Try and think of other records of this nature that could be kept, particularly within your company

The information that is used must be agreed upon within the company and meetings be set up with those personnel responsible for devising and revising the environmental policy concerning these issues. It is important that the data reinforces the company's particular goals such as long term energy reduction strategies, legislative compliance. There should ideally be a system whereby trends can be easily identified and any deviations acted upon

(b): Locate the monitoring information collected on site- is there any reporting of patterns/trends? Also make note of the statistical methods used and the means by which the results are communicated/follow up action is undertaken.