What Is ISO 14001?

Feb Blog 3 - Environmental Piece on the impact from recycling the oil stained products

From improving resource efficiency to reducing waste disposal, becoming an ISO 14001-certified business gives you a variety of benefits. There are significant requirements that must be met, but the rewards are worth it.

Explaining the ISO Standard

The ISO 14001 certification is given to organizations and businesses that follow processes, plans, and procedures required to sustain an environmental management system (EMS). An EMS is developed with the ISO 14001 standard as a part of an organization’s overall strategy to achieve higher environmental performance and continual improvement.

The ISO standard for environmental management aligns the set of requirements for your business to achieve an ISO 14001 certification that results in improved environmental waste solutions. Standardized for any type of business, ISO 14001 gives you, employees, and stakeholders assurance that efforts for a positive impact on the environment are measured and improved.

Benefits of ISO 14001

More than 300,000 organizations in 171 countries are ISO-certified because of standardization’s wide range of benefits:

  • Improved resource efficiency
  • Reduced waste disposal
  • Lowered operating costs
  • Environmental impact measurements
  • Gained competitive advantage in supply chain design
  • Increased business opportunities
  • Legal obligation accuracy
  • Increased stakeholder and customer trust
  • Improved overall environmental impact
  • Increased consistency in environmental obligations

Crucial Components for Environmental Waste Solutions

Three crucial components of an EMS that result in positive environmental waste solutions include:

  1. Core processes, their outputs, and the identification of important aspects and impacts of those processes
  2. Essential supporting processes, such as awareness of legal requirements and employee competency, communicating EMS information, and monitoring and evaluating environmental performance and continual improvement.
  3. Management system supporting processes, such as document and record control and internal auditing

Environmental waste solutions reinforce the need to align processes into integrated systems and focus on providing the highest value to the customer.

Closed Loop Recycling offers monthly sustainability reports that give detailed information on the amount of solid and liquid waste diverted from landfill or incineration.

Our Sample Report

ISO 14001 Standard Requirements

ISO 14001 standard requirements state that you must maintain documented evidence proving that your EMS meets the required standard. The purpose of your quality management documentation is to show that your business processes have proper waste disposal and environmental impact in mind. Properly documenting your EMS efforts also gives your employees awareness and holds them accountable, making your environmental goal more feasible.

To become certified, you are required to document your:

  • EMS Operations and Boundaries
  • Environmental Policy
  • Procedure for Identification and Evaluation of Environmental Aspects
  • Environmental Objectives
  • Operational Control Procedures
  • Procedure for Emergency Preparedness and Response
  • List of Interested Parties and Legal Parties
  • Risks and Opportunities
  • Competence Records
  • Evidence of Communication
  • Monitoring Performance Information
  • Compliance Evaluation Records
  • Compliance Obligations Records
  • Internal Audit Program and Results
  • Management Review Results
  • Nonconformities and Corrective Actions

Environmental Aspects and Policies

One of the most crucial items of evidentiary support that proves you’ve implemented a successful EMS is an outline of your environmental aspects and policies.

To implement a successful EMS, you need to identify which components of your business have environmental aspects, including:

  • Use of resources, such as energy or water
  • Use of recycled materials
  • Disposal of waste materials, including wastewater
  • Any potential for pollution, including risks of leaks, spills, etc.

Your business’s environmental policy outlines your goal to operate in a way that positively impacts the environment while complying with legal regulations. Your policy should include a detailed list of how you prevent pollution and strive for continuous improvement.

Closed Loop, Ensuring ISO 14001 Standard Requirements for Recycling

Closed Loop Recycling offers quality recycling solutions that help you meet the ISO 14001 standard requirements. From oil stain removal for personal protective equipment to industrial absorbent recycling solutions for mats, our processes meet the requirements for ISO and are customized to your needs.

With our free sustainability reporting process, you get a report every month, so monitoring environmental performance and continual improvement is seamless. Our reports include the amount of liquids and solids reused monthly and annually, giving you a clear vision of how your efforts are making a positive impact on the environment and lowering your operating costs.

No matter what industry you’re in, we’re the recycling experts. When you choose CLR, you’re partnering with a company that believes in recycling just as much as you do. Our experts are here for a purpose that drives multiple results, such as cost savings, clean equipment, and environmental impact. Contact us today to learn about how we can help your company meet the ISO 14001 standard requirements.