ISO 14000: Review and guidelines for the photovoltaic industry
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released and is in the process of ratifying a new set of environmental management system standards, ISO 14000. These voluntary international standards will have a significant impact on how companies throughout the international community manage their environmental programs. Initially this impact will result in increased international trade opportunities due to the anticipated customer requirement for suppliers to demonstrate certification. Other potential impacts will benefit both companies engaged in international commerce and companies with a domestic focus. These would include installing a cohesive system to manage environmental matters, participation within a new regulatory paradigm, and adhering to a potentially new set of legal standards. The wide range of potential environmental, commercial, legal and regulatory benefits offered by ISO 14000 offer most companies significant reason to explore the possibilities of implementing an environmental management system. Organizations will be able to anticipate and meet growing environmental expectations and to ensure ongoing compliance with national and international requirements as well as satisfy the growing demands of customers, stakeholders and the interested public. As an emerging industry with significant international ties, the photovoltaic (PV) community will be effected from these standards if they do become globally adopted. In fact some major players in the PV industry have recently received certification to ISO 9000. This again demonstrates a trend within the industry to move toward a uniform system approach to management. This paper will expose interested parties within the PV industry to the details of ISO 14000 and will assist decision makers assess the various possibilities for implementation certification of ISO 14000 for an individual facility.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH00016
- OSTI ID:
- 534500
- Report Number(s):
- BNL--64663; ON: DE98000151
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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