Lexana

Indonesia, east java

After this discussion, you should be able to:
• Define an environmental aspect
• List the steps in preparing an aspects register

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• Definition
• Examples
• Building an Aspects Register

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• An environmental aspect is the part of an activity, product, or
service that interacts with the environment. An aspect can be
thought of as the actual or potential “cause” of an
environmental impact.
• Aspects can be regulated or unregulated.

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• Vehicles emit exhaust
• Water leaks from distribution system
• Fueling spills occur
• Containers not closed
• Noise from aircraft engine run-up testing
• Lights and computers left on at night
• Copier paper bleached with chlorine
• Bicycles don’t emit exhaust

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Activity, Product, or Service
• Flying aircraft
• Visitor services
Environmental Aspect
• Jet fuel consumption
• Jet fuel storage
• Noise generation
• Gasoline consumption
• Electricity consumption
• Solid waste generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
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Activity, Product, or Service
• Vehicle maintenance
Environmental Aspect
• Hazardous waste generation
• Gasoline consumption
• Noise generation
• Electricity consumption
• Solid waste generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Release of volatiles
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Activity, Product, or Service
• Souvenirs in gift shop
• Cafeteria food service
Environmental Aspect
• Packaging
• Use of raw materials
• Fuel consumption for transport
• Solid waste generation
• Food waste generation
• Electricity consumption
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Use of ammonia in refrigeration
equipment
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Activity, Product, or Service
• Office work
Environmental Aspect
• Electricity consumption
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Use of ozone depleting
substances in air cooling units
• Solid waste generation
• Heavy metals in computers
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Activity, Product, or Service
• Cleaning offices
• Playing field upkeep
(golf course, softball field,
parade ground)
Environmental Aspect
• Hazardous material usage
• Electricity consumption
• Solid waste generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Water consumption
• Waste water generation
• Pesticide usage
• Gasoline consumption
• Grass clipping generation
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When first developing your EMS, do a comprehensive aspects
analysis.

ISO 14001 requires organizations to:

• develop procedures to identify environmental aspects
• keep register of aspects up-to-date.

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• Review gap analysis
• Assemble list of activities, products, and services
• Characterize activities, products, and services
• List aspects
• Quantify aspects if possible

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• Facility walk-through
• MSDSs
• Environmental management plans
• Staff interviews

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• Public Affairs office
• Commercial activities studies
• GPRA analysis
• Air Force “compliance site inventories”
• Real property list
• NEPA reviews
• Transportation studies
• Match list with “fenceline”

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• Process flow diagrams
• Interviews with supervisors, managers
• Hazardous material inventories
• Hazardous waste records
• Records from emergency planning, accident reports,
emergency incidents
• Water and energy consumption records

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• Determine number of distinct aspects
• Don’t forget about transportation and construction
• Sort and organize aspects, for example:
•Releases to air
•Water consumption, pollution
•Land contamination
•Use of raw materials, natural resources
•Other local environmental, community issues

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• Use data from gap analysis or aspect identification
• Collect additional data if available
• Use consistent units
• Document sources of data

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• Identification of environmental aspects is a key part of an EMS
• Aspects arise from activities, products, and services
• An EMS includes procedures for aspect identification and
update

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