How to prepare your company for an environmental audit?
An environmental audit is a nerve-wracking time for every company. During this audit, the company's compliance with current regulations is assessed, among other things. If violations are found, the auditing body may issue a warning and a request to implement appropriate changes, and in extreme cases, it may impose financial penalties. The following article will teach you how to prepare your company for such an audit to avoid the worst-case scenario.
Who performs the environmental inspection?
Responsible for environmental control Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (WIOŚ), a government administrative body. Its responsibilities include, among other things, monitoring entities' compliance with environmental protection regulations in a given area (a specific voivodeship).
Preparing your company for an environmental audit – step by step
The process of preparing a company for an inspection by the Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (WIOŚ) consists primarily in organizing documentation, decisions/permits, reporting and reports on measurements and tests regarding the equipment used and processes carried out in the company, so as to enable the Inspectorate for Environmental Protection to efficiently review them in relation to the applicable standards set out in the regulations.
1. Environmental decisions/permits
First of all, you need to make sure that your company has the necessary decisions/permits, in particular:
- emission (introduction of gases and dust into the air),
- waste (production, collection or processing of waste),
- water-legal (sewage discharge and water abstraction),
- alternatively integrated.
This may still happen decision on environmental conditions. Of course, a lot depends on the specifics of your company (e.g.. devices, installations or processes used), as well as the industry in which you operate.
2. Devices / Installations for air, water and sewage protection
During the environmental inspection, the devices and installations used will be checked – in particular with regard to emissions of pollutants into the air, and industrial wastewater disposal and water collection. You must have the necessary reports and documentation confirming that equipment/device inspections have been carried out and records describing their operation.
This is what happens charging fees for using the environment together with the preparation of a report for the Marshal's Office and reporting to KOBiZE, or reports to the National Center for Emission Balancing and Management regarding greenhouse gas and other substance emissions. Check whether your company has met this obligation.
3. Waste records
WIOŚ inspections always focus on various formalities. Among them, the most important are the entries to BDO, i.e. Waste Databases, which must be up-to-date. In addition, there are Waste Transfer Notes (KPO) and Waste Record Cards (KEO).
The obligation to register in BDO applies not only to waste management, but also to packaging placed on the market and several other areas of environmental use.
During the inspection, waste storage locations will also be analyzed, as they must meet a number of criteria, for example, those related to protection against external factors, such as exposure to fire, explosion, or the release of waste leachate into water or soil.
4. Inspection book and contact person
Before the environmental inspection, make sure that your company's premises have an up-to-date Control BookAlso, designate a person (or several people) to represent the company during the inspectors' presence, answer any questions, and provide necessary documents. Prepare decisions/permits and various reports, including those regarding the company's mandatory measurements of various environmental emissions—for example, gas and dust emissions into the air, noise emissions into the environment, water intake, sewage discharge, and more.
Not sure if your company is ready for an environmental audit? You can always seek support from specialists in environmental consultingThey will point out areas that require special attention and help you gather the necessary documentation.
Working with professionals is also a great solution if you're committed to meeting current environmental requirements. Using their knowledge and experience, they'll pinpoint areas in your company that need improvement and advise you on how to achieve them.
Thanks to all this, you will not only prepare for your next WIOŚ inspection, but also ensure that your business meets legal requirements and, therefore, does not negatively impact the natural environment. No matter what industry you work in.
