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Consideration of EMAS in the IED Inspection Programme
Published on 20 December 2018
Spain
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About this good practice
Service of Information, Inspection and Environmental control of activities (Enforcement Authority) has designed a methodology to evaluate the environmental risk according to the principles of the IRAM method (Integrated Risk Assessment Method) developed by IMPEL (European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law). The risk is assessed taking into account the severity of the consequences (effect) and the probability. The “effect” depends on the source and the environmental vulnerability and it’s represented by impact criteria (IC), while the probability is mainly related to the organisation. It is represented by the “Operator Performance Criteria” (OPC). Both IC and OPC are assessed through a comprehensive set of sub-criteria. In the case of OPC, the method assigns a score between "-1" and "+1" for each behaviour criterion.
Environmental management is one of the sub-criterion assessed in OPC and the score is assigned as follows:
-1: EMAS registered organisations
0: other EMS
+1: no EMS.
After combining OPC value in each impact, the method provides the risk profile of the organisation and this will determine the frequency of the inspection.
The risk category of the operator (RC) resulting from the application of the above described method will be further reduced by 1 point for EMAS registered sites who had obtained a favourable status in the last inspection.
Environmental management is one of the sub-criterion assessed in OPC and the score is assigned as follows:
-1: EMAS registered organisations
0: other EMS
+1: no EMS.
After combining OPC value in each impact, the method provides the risk profile of the organisation and this will determine the frequency of the inspection.
The risk category of the operator (RC) resulting from the application of the above described method will be further reduced by 1 point for EMAS registered sites who had obtained a favourable status in the last inspection.
Resources needed
Including EMAS within the risk assessment does not represent an important legal effort as it does not modify a legal act. Internal inspectors from the enforcement authority can concentrate their workload in those organizations with less favorable behavior
Evidence of success
Based on the available data on last inspection, 33 EMAS companies have benefited and there’s an opportunity to enhance the impact of the regulatory relief at least to the 38% of ISO 14001 certified organizations that could easily upgrade to EMAS.
Finally, the incentive would benefit in 2018 other 144 ISO 14001 organisations that had obtained a favourable inspection and that could upgrade to EMAS.
Finally, the incentive would benefit in 2018 other 144 ISO 14001 organisations that had obtained a favourable inspection and that could upgrade to EMAS.
Potential for learning or transfer
This additional regulatory relief could be included in the Inspection Plan of the competent authority in the matter, without modifying the law. It fulfils the IRAM method and also the IED Requirements. It enhances the impact of EMAS in the final score related to the risk assessment. EMAS registered organisations can benefit from an economic and time savings. This practice provides extra added value to EMAS registered organisations without representing a higher risk to the enforcement authority as it is combined with the positive result of the previous inspection.
Further information
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Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Regional Government of Cataluña
Spain
Cataluña
Contact
Responsible for Monitoring and Environmental Monitoring