Environmental Management System (EMS)

General Information

The printing industry is vital to Wisconsin’s economy and they have the responsibility of managing numerous environmental risks including the use of inks and other materials that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). The Environmental Management System Permit (EMS Permit) will be designed for major source printing facilities voluntarily participating in a pilot program partially funded by USEPA.

• The Green Tier law will be used to establish a legal basis for issuing an EMS permit. To use Green Tier, a facility must have or commit to creating and EMS. An EMS is a set of management processes and procedures that allows a business to analyze, control and reduce the environmental impact of its activities, products and services. The EMS permit would combine the EMS with the requirements of a Title V permit to create flexibility for a facility in the context of superior environmental performance.

An EMS permit is a risk based, outcome focused approach to managing environmental results based on environmental goals set in a framework of operational flexibility to accomplish them. Because an EMS considers all media risks, the EMS permit will also provide opportunities for cross-media performance improvements. Though an EMS permit is not for everyone, this approach may provide business value for those facilities that are prepared to systematically manage their environmental “footprint” based on a commitment to continual improvement and superior environmental performance.

Pilot Project

Beginning in July 2005, WDNR began to work with four printing facilities. Through this project the WDNR wants to assess whether a performance based EMS permit can produce the flexibility and the environmental results that would go beyond what is available through the traditional Title V permitting approach.. The goals of the Pilot project are to assess whether an EMS permit can:

• Reduce emissions beyond the legal requirement
• More effectively identify and manage environmental risks
• Provide flexibility
• Reduce administrative burden
• Provide more effective public involvement

During the first year, the EMS will be developed, the new permit approach will be designed and work will be done to establish more effective engagement of stakeholders. Over the following two years, project performance data would be gathered and an independent program evaluation would be conducted.

Helpful Links

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [exit DNR]
• Innovations Grant [exit DNR]

For more information, contact Kristin Hart at (608) 273-5605 or Mark McDermid at (608) 267-3125.