Archives
Chemicals, Plastics, Metal products, Machinery, Recycling, Electricity and Construction (NACE codes 23. to 47. except 34. and 35.)
15/12/05
BOT Elektrownia Opole SA the first organisation in Poland’s EMAS Register
On September 2nd, the power plant in Opole, which is run by the power provider BOT Elektrownia Opole SA, completed its activities to become the first EMAS registered company in Poland.
The organisation received the EMAS logo with the number PL-2.16-001-1 from the regional Competent Body. This milestone marks the first visible success in the implementation process of the EMAS Regulation, which has been co-funded by the European Commission under the Phare programme.
Some 25 other companies are about to receive their EMAS certificate during the first phase of implementation. Most of them had already completed ISO 14001 certification before entering the pilot phase.
More information about the EMAS registration and the text of the certificate are available from the press release of BOT Elektrownia Opole SA here (in Polish).
16/11/05
Estonian capital Tallinn rewards its water supplier for EMAS registration
In October AS Tallinna Vesi became Estonia's first company to receive EMAS registration as a result of an Estonian-Dutch joint project "Implementing Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) in Estonia".
AS Tallinna Vesi provides water and sewage services in Tallinn and the surrounding areas, servicing more than 400,000 citizens. The company was established in 1997 and privatized in January 2001. In 2000, Tallinn City granted the company the exclusive right to provide water and sewage services in the service area for a 15-year period.
The main focus of the company’s 2005 year’s investment programme is the continuing rehabilitation of the water network, improvement of sludge treatment and disposal at Paljassaare Waste Water Treatment Plant and the extension of the current network. As a result of continuous investments, the number of complaints from customers regarding the quality of drinking water has decreased by 50% over the last year.
In the environmental policy published on the web, AS Tallinna Vesi commits to legal compliance and open communication with customers and stakeholders, thus shaping their interest and knowledge regarding the efficient use of drinking water which is purified from Lake Ülemiste via the Water Treatment Plant.
More information about EMAS in AS Tallinna Vesi is available from the environmental manager Jana Kelus.
Read more about the environmental policy and projects at the company’s website at http://www.tallinnavesi.ee/pages.php/02040801
17/06/05
Construction and Real Estate Service of North Rhine Westphalia receives EMAS
BLB NRW, the construction and real estate service of Germany’ largest
Federal State North Rhine Westphalia has received certificates for ISO
9001, ISO 14001 and EMAS, thus turning BLB NRW into the first of the large
state-owned institutions to receive a combined certification. It is also
the first state-owned organisation in North Rhine Westphalia to reach EMAS
registration.
BLB NRW manages 4,600 real estates (e.g. police headquarters, tax offices,
jails and universities) of 13 million sq m and 1,700 properties. Around 2,550
employees handle all kinds of property services. The organisation reviews pollutants
systematically inside buildings and aims to reduce them. Pilots for energy
efficiency were started in order to elaborate energy management measures, including
one which will seek to motivate tenants through an integrated benefit system
taken from energy savings.
The environmental statement is available from: www.blb.nrw.de/publik.htm.
17/05/05
Czech EMAS celebrates 20th registration
Chemoprojekt, a.s. is a Czech design, engineering and contracting company,
which has been operating as a leading supplier for the organic and inorganic
chemical industry sector, the petrochemical industry, crude oil refining,
natural gas processing, pulp and paper production, power generation and
environmental protection.
In addition to its ISO 9001 certificate, the company completed the registration procedure for EMAS in April 2005, thus becoming the 20th registered organisation in the Czech Republic.
More information about Chemoprojekt is available from the company’s web site.
17/05/05
Voestalpine Tubulars sparks internal award to promote HSE awareness
In 2004, for the first time, voestalpine Tubulars Kindberg (Austria), a manufacturer of oil field pipes, sockets, boiler and recuperator pipes, awarded a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) prize to its best production unit.
Award criteria include waste management, handling of lubricants and additives and handling of security equipment and technical security devices. This year, the socket production unit won the prize for its commitment to continual improvement of occupational safety and environmental standards. The management of voestalpine Tubulars stated its high expectations in the award’s ability to stimulate employees’commitment to improve HSE performance continually.
The management implemented EMAS and ISO 14001 in 1999 and added an
occupational safety management system following the OHSAS 18001 specification.
In 2004, voestalpine Tubulars produced 133,000 tons of pipes and sockets
with a staff of 900.
More information on voestalpine is available from the environmental statements
on the company’s
web site.
15/07/05
First re-entry into EMAS in Austria
The Vienna based Rembrandtin Lack GmbH, which employs 130 staff, produces different types of varnishes such as electrical sheet varnish, anticorrosive materials, and varnish for special solutions for industrial applications.
The organisation registered with EMAS in 1999. At the end of the first three year period however, the company decided not to renew the registration for internal reasons. After the company changed hands in 2005, the new management decided to implement the system again – as the structures were already in place.
The new owner, EK-FIN-Mittelstandsfinanzierungs AG, a company providing finance to medium-sized businesses, was attracted by the advantages EMAS offers. The need for legal compliance and improved environmental communication, both within the company and with the outside world, played a major role in the decision. The Managing Director of Rembrandtin, Hubert Culik, emphasises the role of EMAS in the organisation: It is a sustainable instrument that enables innovative and environmentally conscious companies to establish and preserve legal compliance.
The company received the EMAS registration certificate on June 14th at the Austrian Federal Environment Agency, where the Minister for the Environment, Josef Pröll, stated that “more and more companies and organisations prove their responsibility for sustainable protection of the environment. This is not only a success for the companies but also for the environment.â€
For further information visit the website www.rembrandtin.com or contact Hubert Culik.
15/07/05
Druckfarben Hellas registered its colour production at Aspropirgos
In Greece, the Development Ministry’s Operational Programme “Enhancing Environmental Planning†has lead to the registration of Druckfarben Hellas S.A, one of 9 new EMAS companies in a 12 month period. The company received validation at its facilities for construction colour production at Aspropirgos in June. The company is the first ink and colour production industrial unit in Greece to achieve EMAS certification, recognition of its environmental management efforts.
For further information (in Greek) please click here.
14/03/05
Belgian provider of drinking water seeks to improve services through EMAS
The Intercommunity Water Supply of Central Brabant Wallon (iecbw) provides
145,000 inhabitants with an annual 7,200 m3 of drinking water. More and
more Wallonian organisations providing daily services to municipalities
now implement an environmental management system according to the EMAS
Regulation. The water supply sector now joins in to demonstrate its capability
to improve drinking water quality, reduce leakage and provide efficient
management for its environmental aspects. Seventeen sites in the region
south of Brussels have been included in the EMAS registration.
For more information please visit www.iecbw.be (in
French).
13/12/04
Housing company THS shows letting of property works under EMAS
15 years of environmental activities were finalised by the EMAS registration of German housing company THS. THS administers approximately 50,000 flat units in the Ruhr Basin , and a total of 86,000 units within the THS Group together with 7 subsidiaries.
Business areas cover construction (approx. 400 units per year), renovation (approx. 1,500 units per year), support and development of industrial areas, including several services around housing and letting.
In the environmental targets, THS has focused on implementation of renewable energy sources (e.g. solar and biomass), sustainable planning and ecological construction through pre-construction, standardisation and construction waste management.
For more information, contact THS environmental manager Marcus Collmer.
18/10/14
Slovenia proudly presents Gorenje Ltd. as the first EMAS registered company
In September 2004, Velenje based Gorenje Ltd. completed a several-year long pilot project for EMAS implementation and became the first organisation to be registered in a new Member State where no verification had taken place prior to the accession.
Between 1997 and 2003, the manufacturer of household appliances was investing into the modernisation of technological processes, thus introducing cleaner technologies and implementing organisational measures. This led to a decrease in the quantity of hazardous waste by 51 %, the quantity of waste for disposal by 31 %, consumption of water by 48 % and the consumption of natural gas by 20 % based on 1997 data.
The environmental statement of Gorenje can be downloaded here .
05/09/04
Czech construction expert Z•S Brno adds another three sites to the EMAS register
In the end of July, three plants (divisions) of the Czech construction company Z•S Brno were registered in EMAS, finishing the process of EMAS implementation in the company.
Z•S Brno is one of the largest Czech construction companies employing about 2.000 people in its four divisions. Company activities cover mostly railway constructions, ground constructions, road and engineering construction and energetic and environmental constructions.
Environmental protection as well as emphasis on quality, safety and good working conditions rank highest among the company priorities, which can be demonstrated by a number of certificates and appraisals achieved (e.g. National Quality Award, Construction of the Year etc.). Z•S Brno is also very active in the field of social responsibility supporting various actions and projects from health service, education, culture and sport.
For more information on Z•S Brno, see http://www.ceu.cz/EMAS/RegistrEMAS.html
15/07/04
Indirect aspects in glass recycling:
Austria Glass Recycling Ltd aims at identifying them all
Austria Glass Recycling (AGR) organises collection of used glass package
from households, trade and industry in Austria. Registered under EMAS II
since 2001, AGR gave a significant touch at assessing the indirect aspects
from collection and recycling of glass packaging: Traffic, emissions, noise
and more.
Limitation of aspects will be reached mainly by smoothening interaction of
a multi-stakeholder network: Municipalities, waste consultants, private and
public waste disposal, carriers, glass manufacturers, public administration
and AGR.
Representatives of all partners (24 participants) met to speak about and assess
indirect aspects following the Whole Person Process Facilitation Method.
This approach encouraged participants to speak their minds and express ideas,
which –at present – look to be unrealistic or even impossible.
The workshop resulted in a work programme, tasks allocated to owners and a
time schedule for improvement of indirect aspects in:
Material:
- Significant and long lasting improvement of waste glass fractions
- Identification of influential parameters
- Further reduction of glass package land filled.
- Transport:
- Optimising of transport routes
- Reduction of emissions
- Improving drivers’ habits
Noise:
- Minimising noise pollution while collecting
The participants found it useful to meet and team up with stakeholders
in the network personally. Exchange of opinions and difficulties identified
fostered mutual understanding of municipalities, manufacturers and recyclers
on strengths, weaknesses and defiance within the glass recycling network.
AGR has invited participants to a follow up on the status of implementation
of the programme, making use of the energy and know-how within the group.
For more information contact Mr. Hirss-Werdisheim at Austria Glass Recycling: agr@agr.at
15/03/04
World wide refrigeration producer Bitzer extends EMAS to the Portuguese site
Continuing the boom in EMAS registrations in Portugal, the Bitzer manufacturing
site at Castelo Branco received recognition for its ambitious EMAS implementation
recently.
Bitzer, a German-based world wide manufacturer of refrigeration and air-conditioning
appliances, was eager to apply the highest environmental standards being used
at their German manufacturing sites.
As the company is proud on its achievements in both innovation and quality
control, the move towards environmental performance improvement came in
record time. One of the main points of interest is a service network to
enhance the life cycle of the products.
The Environmental Statement 2003 can be downloaded
here (in Portuguese) (900 kB).
11/11/03
Austrian Plastics Recycler ÖKK encourage all Recycling Plants to go for EMAS
The Austrian Plastics Circuit plc (ÖKK AG) processes material recycling
of licenced plastic packages and textiles. In close cooperation with recyclers
and carriers they guarantee sufficient capacities, control the recycling has
been compliant with the regulations and define the criteria for collection,
hereby ensuring the desired quality. Assessment of new technologies and information
to the public add to the key tasks of ÖKK.
Ö KK AG has enabled 44 300 to of separately collected HDPE, LDPE (Polyethylene),
PS/PP (Polystyrene/Polypropylene), EPS and PET to be recycled into new material.
The latest technologies enable the contractor OVOPET to produce recycled PET
food packaging, thus meeting the hygienic requests previously met only by new
packages.
To prove legal compliance of their subcontractors, ÖKK AG encourages all
of them to set up an EMS. In the last months ÖKK AG, ÖKK Service
Ltd, Welser Rohstoffrecycling, G. Walter Ltd and Skyplastics Ltd achieved the
EMAS validation.
For more information contact the Environmental Coordinator Christoph Paul (paul@okk.co.at)
or see www.okk.co.at
04/02/03
Final report for the CHEMAS project in the Czech Republic available
In the framework of the programme of industrial cooperation with candidate countries a project entitled “Programme for the promotion of EMAS in the Czech Republic” was launched in January 2001 by DG Environment. In order to ensure significant impact and operational results, the project focused on the chemical industry. This sector is central in the Czech Republic - economically as well as in terms of environmental impact. The project had the following objectives:
• Drafting a strategy for the promotion of EMAS in the Czech Republic
• Providing support regarding the institutional structure necessary to
implement EMAS, including an Implementation Help line
• Providing support to chemical companies for their EMAS registration.
The CHEMAS project is now concluded, 524 companies in the chemical sector were
addressed and received information on EMAS; 40 of these received training
and support in conducting an initial review. Special cooperation agreements
have been signed with 10 companies in order to lead them to EMAS registration.
The final report (PDF, 2.08Mb) describing in detail activities undertaken during the project and results achieved is now available on-line. Findings of research and experiences made throughout the project duration were compiled into an EMAS guide (PDF, 665Kb), which indicates a possible approach to the development of an EMAS strategy and the setting up of an institutional structure in other candidate countries. A Powerpoint presentation (PPT, 4.8Mb) provides a summary of the project and its different implementation stages. You will find more information on the project website.