Using information systems to improve and track environmental compliance
Today's environmental professionals are faced with many competing factors that combine to increase their responsibility and workload. With the strong economy, plants are increasing production, adding new equipment or changing production rates in the process. At the same time, many corporations are reducing the size of their environmental staff while still expecting them to ensure ongoing compliance. Changing equipment may require new permits or trigger applicability of additional regulations. In addition, new regulations continue to be promulgated on a regular basis, particularly new National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs). These factors combine to increase the workload of environmental personnel. Environmental Management Information Systems (EMIS) can be used to improve overall compliance and assist with compliance demonstration. An EMIS can be set up to automatically track environmental parameters by leveraging process data already stored in process historians. This can have the added effect of simplifying record keeping. An EMIS can be used to automate report preparation, helping to ensure timely, accurate submittals to regulatory agencies. In addition, the EMIS can be used to proactively assess the environmental impact of proposed process changes. This paper discusses a case study of a recently developed EMIS, demonstrating how the system was implemented to improve and track environmental compliance.
- Research Organization:
- Trinity Consultants, Overland Park, KS (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20003291
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990608--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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