&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office o< Poilutiofi Prevention
and Tpxics ' _.
Wasninqton. DC 20^60
May "i
EPA/742-P-95-006
bPA Standards Network Fact Sheet
ISO 14000:
International Environmental
Management Standards
What Is ISO?
What Are ISO's
Environmental
Management,
Standards?
In recent years, there has been heightened -international .merest in and commitment to impro-.ed enMrohmen-
-ai mana-emem practices by both the public and Pmate:*aors. This interest is retleaed.m-tne succev. ot.
collaborame international efforts to address environmental problems and in the global .recognition ortrade-
related environmental issues. The Montreal Protocol, the environmental s.de agreements of the-North . ,
^mencanFreeTradeA2reementandthemandatesresuUm2tromihcl992EanhSumrnitofthe..Ln.ted.
National Conference orf Environment and Development in RJO de Janeiro are some ot the successes..
Another indication of the interest in improved env.ronmehtal practices is the emergence;of voluntary environ-
mental management standards developed by nauonal standards bodies throughout the *orld: To address the
mowing need" for an international consensus approach. ISO. the International Organization tor Standardization.
has undertaken the development of international voluntary environmental management standards through IbU
Technical Committee 207. ISO's 14000 series Environmental Management Standards are expected to have a
significant impact on trade in the same way that the' ISO 9000 series Quality Management Standards have.
The U S EPA has a long-standine interest in promoting improved environmental management practices
from its I986 environmental auditing Policy Statement to its recent Environmental Leadership and Common
Sense Initiatives.
ISO is a private-sector, international standards body based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1947. [SO
promotes the international harmonization and development of manufaounng. product and communications
standards. ISO has promulgated more than 8.000 internationally accepted standards for everything from
paper sizes to film speeds. More than 120 countries, belong to ISO as full voting members, white several
other countries serve as observer members. The United.States is a full voting member and is officially
represented by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
ISO produces rattrrationally harmonized standards through a structure of Technical Committees P""
standards. Tne focus on "management" distinguishes these standards from "performance standards. tMi
' = help an orearuzauon to establish and meet its own policy goals through objectives and targets, organizational
structures'arid accountability, management controls and-review functions ail with top management overs.ght.
EMS do not set requirements for environmental compliance nordo these standards establish requirements
fwspKificWlsrfr^lunpnpit^^^
specifkation document calls for environmental policies which include a commitment to both compliance .
with environmental laws and prevention of pollution. ...
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
HggpHWiiH^qBgl
EpV^VrrTS^Xil
fi^i^'
k^65^J
m. «_>r^r^**»C/ *§
y^^jLu^y^^g
* EMfe_*M*
"?e'"a!!0oai
C';a.-"Z2!'on for
SiarcafCXaifOn (ISO!
Geneva Switzerland
Te;epnone ,
41-22-749-0111
fax
41-22-733-3430 .
A
'
*
|TP\ Or>7
( lUI cU(
Environmental
Management
Secretariat Canada
Secretary
James L'Oixon .
Telephone: :
416-747-4103
Fax:
416-747-2473
3
SCi - E'vircnrrn-ntai Managed-eft Systems
wGi - Scecficaticn . .
WG2 - General Guidelines
SC2 - Environmental Auditing and Related Environmental Investigations
; WG1 -Auditing Principles
WG2 - Auditing Procedures
WG3 - Auditor Qualifications
WG4 - Other Investigations
^f"? Fnvirnnmpntsl 1 alvlinfi
WG1 - Guiding Principles for Practiooner Programs
WG2- Self Declaration Claims
WG3 - Guiding Principles for Environmental Labeling Programs
SC4 Environmental Performance Evaluation
WG1 -Management Systems .
WG2 - Operational and Environment Systems
SC5 Life-Cycle Assessment
WG1 - LCA General Principles and Procedures.
WG2 - Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis tGeneral)
WG3 - Life-Cycle Inventory Analysis (Specific)
WG4 - Life-Cycle Impact Assessment
WG5 - Life-Cycle Improvement Assessment
SC6 Terms and Definitions
WG1 - Environmental Aspects in Pfoduct Standards
How Is ISO Developing
Environmental
Management Standards?
Figure I. ISO Technical Committee 207 Structure
In Auaust 199lrlSO established a Stntegic Advisoy Group (SAGE) to assess' the need for international.
environmental management standards and to recommend an overall strategic plan for such standards. SAGE
'was asked to consider whether environmental management standards could serve to:
' Promote a common approach to environmental management similar to ISO 9000 Quality Management
Standards ' ' ' .
Enhance an organization's ability to attain and measure environmental performance: and
Eacilitate trade and remove trade barriers.
In I991 based on the SAGE findings. ISO formed Technical Committee #207 (TC-207) for En\ wonmenul
Management Standards. Currently. 47 countries have signed on to TC-207.as full voting members, w ith an
additional 13 countries as observers. The U.S.. which is voting member, participates m the process througn
a Technical Advisory Group.(TAG). Under delegated authority from ANSI, the TAG is administered by the
American Society for Testing and Materials tASTM >. ' .
Fiaure I shows the structure of TC-207'. which has .six subcommittees, each containing several working
aroups. plus one working group on Environmental Aspects m Product Standards that reports d,rectl> to the
full TC-207. .':"';
-------
How Does ISO 140OO
Relate to TC-207?
When Will the ISO
Standards Be
Completed?
ISO issisns a Jocumem numbering ^-.icm ;o each .Technical Committee. Standards produced b<. Ti~007 are
jN'isrwd the 14000 designation. For example/the En\ ironmor.Lii NLM^ernem-Swc.ns: EM5;
Suniiard~wiil become ISO 14000.- The EMS specification document will bcccrr.i !SO 1400!'. Eith
. subsequent!) completed ISO standard'from ihis TC «,ii! have a 14000 designation.
The'lolloping are targeted completion dates:
'The EMS specification and guidance standards
Principles of Environmental Auditing
Eco-labeling Principles and Practices
Environment^ Performance Evaluation
Life Cycle Assessment
May 19%
My 19%
End of 19%
1998 ' '
1997-1998
American National
Standards Institute (ANSI)
' li West42nd-Street
New York. New York 10036
Telephone:
' 212-542-4900
US TAG to ISO/TC 207
Cnairman: Joe Cascio
Tel: 914-766-2734
EPA. Representative:
MaryMcKiel
Office of Pollution-
Prevention and Toxics
Tsiephone:
202-260-3584 ,
ST1 - fnvfronmenai Management Sysiem
Chairman-Joef.Cham . . Tel:201-4SS-4QS7
JEPA Rep.. Jim Home ' '' 'Tel. 202-260-5^02
, Office of Water
TGI - Soecificadon
T62- General Guidelines
ST2-Environmental Auditing '
Chairman: Cornelius (Bud) Smith Tel: 609-243-9892
IPARep.. Cheryl Wasserman- Tel: 202-260-6797
Office ol'Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
T61 -Auditing Principles
TB2 - Auditing Procedures
TS3 - Auditor Qualifications
ST3-Environmental Laoeting
Ctiairrnan: Gordon Bellen ' Tel: 617-733-6050
EPA Rep.: Julie lyncn . Tel: 202-260-4000
Office of Pollution Prevention and TOXICS
Tfit - Guiding Principles for Practicioner Programs
TS2-Self-Oeclaration Claims . ' " ' .
T83 - Guiding Prinapte lor Environmental Laoeiing Prograrns
ST4-Environmental Pertormancs Evaluation
Chairman: John Master . ' Tet 610-359-4810
EPA Rep.: John Harman ' Tel: 202-260-6395
Office of Pollution Prevention ana Toxics
ST5 - Life Cycle Assessment . ' .
Chairman James'A. Fava ,' Tel. 610-344-3636
EPAReo.. Mary Ann Curran , Tel: 513-569-7337
Office or Research ana Development
ST6 - Terms anc-Oefin'itions
Chairman: Christopher dell
Tel. 202-736-8118
SW6 - Environmental Ascects in Product SJanoaras
. Chairman Stanley Rhodes Tel 510-832-1415
EPA Rep. MaryMcKiel Tel: 202-260-3534
.QHice of Pollution.Prevention ind Toxics
Figure 2. U.S. TAG Structure
-------
Who from the U.S. May
Participate?
What Is the EPA
Standards Network?
TV -r v. - > -ompletelv ,,pen and am interested pam ma> participate. Industry, joxernment. panicipates. »ith lull voting membersh.p. ,n
-he U S Technical X^^orN Group (TAG) to TC-207. Through the Network, the official EPA resumes
to ihe-L' S TAG disseminate miomution throughout the Agency and coordinate EPA comments on the Uocu-
ment^ in development. Figure 2 ^*> the structure of the U.S. TAG and Jdemif.es the principle EPA contact,
for the TAG'and the SubTags. along with the U.S. chairperson.
Where Can I Get More
Information?
For additional information, contact:
StevenComiih
ANSI .
11 West -t!nd Street
New York. NY 10036
2I2-W2-4969
Rose Tomasello
ASTM '
1916 Race Street
Philadelphia. PA 19103
'215-299-3487
Mary C. McKiel
EPA Standards Network
OPPT-7409
401 M Street: SW
Washington. CKT 20460
.Telephone: 202-260-3584
FAX: 202-260-0178
. mclcki.maiy@epamail.ipa.gov
------- |