EMAS

What does EMAS stand for?

EMAS, Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, is a voluntary European programme. With the aim to support voluntary industrial activities to minimize the impact of activities and products on environment, in 1993 the European Community issued rules regarding participation in this programme in the form of a statutory instrument.
In 2001 there was a revision of the above stated rules and Regulation No. 761/2001, so called EMAS 2, superseded EMAS.

Conditions for participation in EMAS programme?

Organizations that

• implement environmental management system,
• make a public announcement about their environmental profile,
• have themselves reviewed by an independent reviewer, can be registered in EMAS programme

What is an environmental announcement?

The purpose of an environmental announcement is to provide public and all interested parties with information regarding the effect of organization activities on environment and regarding the continual improvement of their environmental profile.

Contents of the environmental announcement

• unambiguous description of an organization
• environmental policy and brief description of EMS
• description of direct and indirect environmental aspects and their impacts
• description of environmental objectives and their values
• summary of available data regarding important environmental impacts in quantified form
• observance of legal and other requirements in the field of environment
• name and accreditation number of reviewer and date of validation

Requirements regarding functional system according to EMAS

• environmental management system is developed and implemented
• efficiency of this system is systematically evaluated
• public and interested parties are regularly informed about the impact of the company on environment in the form of an environmental announcement
• employees of the organization are encouraged to take active part in all activities connected with the system functioning

Benefit?

• Fulfilment of Act on Public Contracts
• Improvement of the company environmental profile
• Continuous compliance with the legal regulations regarding environment
• Protection of personal health and environment against possible negative impacts
• Improvement of credibility with interested parties
• Increase of company price and image