Certyfikacja ISO 14001/EMAS

By definition, environmental management systems (EMS) according to ISO 14001 and EMAS are voluntary systems, i.e. adopted voluntarily by organisations as an obligation to apply. Exceptions are Electrical and Electronic Equipment Recycling Organisations, for which implementation and maintenance of ISO 14001 or EMAS is mandatory (based on Article 61(3) of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act).

The implementation of EMAS is also one of the ways in which the tasks of public sector bodies in the area of energy efficiency are carried out (on the basis of Article 6(1)(5) of the Energy Efficiency Act).

ISO 14001 and EMAS Eco-Management and Audit Scheme are designed for all organisations, regardless of type and size. They can be applied in a variety of geographical, cultural and social settings. The implementation of other management systems is not required. They are applicable to any organisation that intends to:

• establish, implement and maintain the Environmental Management System
• comply with its environmental policy
• reduce negative impacts on the environment
• demonstrate compliance with EMS requirements through self-assessment and self-declaration and through third-party confirmation - including accredited certification bodies in the certification process
• build the image of a socially and environmentally responsible organisation

ISO 14001 and EMAS can be used on their own or combined with other management systems. They contain requirements that can be objectively audited and require the involvement of all services at all organisational levels, especially top management.

Companies applying for EMAS do not need to be ISO 14001 certified, but they must nevertheless implement the principles of the ISO 14001 environmental management system, which form part of the requirements of the EMAS regulation.

• Customer request for quotation
• Offer preparation
• Customer's order initiating the verification process
• Conclusion of a 3-year contract for EMAS supervision
• Stage I of verification and documentation assessment - assessment of Organization's readiness for Stage II
• Stage II of verification - audit and environmental verification carried out by an Accredited EMAS Environmental Verifier (TUV NORD Polska Sp. z o.o.) entered in the register kept by the Polish Centre for Accreditation - industry authorisation.
• Confirmation and validation of the environmental information presented for verification - issuance of an "Environmental Verifier's Declaration on verification and validation activities" according to Annex VII of the EMAS Regulation 1221/2009. The validated information and the environmental declaration are valid for 1 year. The moment at which the EMAS Accredited Environmental Verifier validates (validates) the organisation's environmental statements or environmental information presented for verification and validation is the reference point for setting the end of validity of the declaration. In order to meet the deadlines for updating the declaration, taking into account the time needed for possible corrective actions and evaluation of the documentation, verifications during the surveillance period should be carried out according to the rule: full years - 1 month, counting from the last day of on-site verification at the organisation's sites;
• Filing by the organisation of an application for registration with the General Directorate for Environmental Protection (GDOŚ)
• Assessment of the completeness and consistency of documents by GDOŚ
• Registration of the organisation in the national EMAS register, as well as in the EU EMAS register kept by the European Commission

Once registered, the organisation is entitled to use the EMAS logo, which can be used for general presentation of the organisation. Guidance on the use of the EMAS logo is provided in Annex V and Article 10 of the EMAS Regulation mentioned above.

EMAS verifications are carried out by an Accredited EMAS Environmental Verifier (TUV NORD Polska Sp. z o.o.) entered in the register kept by the Polish Centre for Accreditation - industry authorisation. Confirmed information and environmental declaration are valid for 1 year.

Each Customer, whose management system has been certified based on ISO 14001 / verified based on the EMAS regulation, is obliged to inform the Certification Body without delay of a serious incident related to the environmental impact of the Organisation, for example a serious environmental accident, a serious violation of a legal regulation, resulting in the involvement of a competent regulatory authority.

A Serious Environmental Incident is an event that causes harm to any of the components of the environment and/or harm to human health through the release into the environment of a pollutant, in particular a hazardous substance, requiring the deployment of significant forces and resources to remove the hazard.

Report incident: info@incydent.tuv-nord.pl