Information for industry

EPA works with different individuals and groups to protect the environment. Having access to the following information will help industry members protect and improve the quality of the environment.

Industry's overall environmental goal should be to move towards sustainability. This applies to all environmental issues, including wastewater.

EPA encourages industry to take responsibility for improving its environmental performance, by using tools such as:

• environmental management systems
• environment improvement plans
• environmental guidelines
• cleaner production
  
  

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Environmental management systems

An environmental management system (EMS) allows environmental management to be integrated with day-to-day business management. An EMS helps managers to identify potential productivity gains that can be achieved through improved environmental performance and more efficient resource use.

The Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 14001: Environmental management systems – specification with guidance for use may be used as a guide to good management systems.

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Environment improvement plans

An environment improvement plan (EIP) is a tool to guide a company's environmental management through a process of continuous improvement. An Environment Improvement Plan enables an organisation to improve environmental performance through a comprehensive approach to environmental management. It includes an action plan with goals and timelines, together with provision for ongoing monitoring and reporting of environmental performance.

An environment improvement plan should be tailored to fit an organisation's needs and is likely to contain the following:

• environmental policy and objectives
• identification, assessment and evaluation of options for improved performance
• commitments, targets and contingency arrangements
• operational arrangements to achieve objectives
• performance monitoring and reporting
• auditing and review of the plan
• endorsement by senior management, EPA and by the affected community.

Further information about environment improvement plans is available in EPA Publication 739 – Guidelines for the Preparation of Environment Improvement Plans (Adobe PDF file, 561KB).

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Environmental guidelines

EPA has developed guidelines to advise industry about good environmental practice. The following guidelines include advice about minimising the impacts caused by wastewater discharges:

• EPA Publication 464.1 – Guidelines for Environmental Management – Use of Reclaimed Water (Adobe PDF file, 1235KB)



• EPA Publication 500 – Code of Practice for Small Wastewater Treatment Plants (available in hard copy; contact the Information Centre)



• EPA Publication 570 – Environmental Guidelines for the Dairy Processing Industry (Adobe PDF file, 315KB)



• EPA Publication 621 – Environmental Guidelines for the Textile Dyeing and Finishing Industry (Adobe PDF file, 245KB)



• EPA Publication 628 – Environmental Guidelines for the Concrete Batching Industry (Adobe PDF file, 135KB)



• EPA Publication 691 – Guidelines for Dredging (Adobe PDF file, 792KB)



• EPA Publication 730 – Guidelines for Environmental Management – Disinfection of Treated Wastewater (Adobe PDF file, 198KB)

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Cleaner production

EPA established partnerships with companies and industry associations to examine the benefits of cleaner production. The program demonstrated that cleaner production allows companies to reduce their environmental impacts, improve efficiency and save money.

Case studies describing the program are available. Case studies are not limited to wastewater issues, but describe environmental and financial benefits associated with cleaner production.

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