What is meant by environmental audit of an industry?

Environmental audit is an exercise for evaluating the performance of an industry from environmental angle. It is a technique for integrating the interest of industry and the concern for environment so that these could be mutually supportive. According to the International Chamber of Commerce, environmental audit is a management tool for systematic and periodic evaluation of how the industrial management systems are functioning in respect of the prevention and reduction of wastes; compliance with the regulatory requirements; adoption of environmental management practices, and dissemination of information on industry initiatives for environmental protection.

Theindustry is anyway required to comply with the environmental regulations and pollution control norms. So, where is the need for a separate exercise of environmental audit?

Environmental audit is needed not only for ensuring compliance of environmental regulations/pollution control norms but also for improvement in management of an industry. It is, no doubt, important to find out whether an industry is complying with the regulatory requirements of environmental standards. To this end, it is essential to periodically monitor the effectiveness of unit operations/ process for determining the gaps, if any, so that necessary steps can be taken. More often than not, compliance of environmental standards is achieved through end-of-the-pipe pollution control systems. Environmental audit offers an opportunity of looking at the entire system including the raw materials, process technologies and waste management practices. Environmental audit also enables the management of an industry to formulate/modify its policybased on review of current practices.

What are the befits of environmental audit to the industry and to the society at large?

Environmental audit has multiple benefits for the industry as well as for the society at large. These include the following reduction in waste generation; reduction in waste treatment cost; resource conservation and reduction in input cost; reduction in pollution potential; improvement in process efficiency; improvement in working conditions; cost saving through recycling and reuse, and assurance to staff, management, investors, insurers, regulatory authorities and general public about the environmental commitments of the industry.

Is it mandatory to have environmental audit for each industry?

As per rules under the Environment (Protection) Act, notified by the Ministry of Environment & Forests, it's mandatory for certain categories of industry to submit annual statements based on environmental auditing in prescribed format. The categories of industry which comeunder the purview of such rules include industries which requiring consent under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution), Act, 1974; Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution), Act 1981, and Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1989.

Although environmental audit is not mandatory for all categories of industry, but it's an integral component in the certification procedure for Environmental Management System (ISO-14000).

Can the industry carry out environmental audit on its own or it has to be done through some outside agency?

Since environmental audit is an instrument for self appraisal, it is the prerogative of an industry to decide whichever way to carry it out. For objectivity in the exercise, an independent environmental audit team may be constituted by the management comprising personnel within the industry or seeking the help of specialists from outside.

Which are the key issues required to be looked into while carrying out environment audit?

The important issues forenvironmental audit include the verification of the unit operations/ process to determine the shortcomings, if any, and to explore the possibilities for improvement in environmental management of an industry; assessment of cost-savings which can be achieved through reduction of raw material consumption, waste minimisation and adoption of waste recycling/recovery systems, and benchmarking of industrial processes/technologies in terms of resource utilisation, pollution potential and good management practices.

What has been the role of the Central Pollution Control Board in environmental audit of the industry?

The CPCB has conducted environmental audit for various types of industry. Such exercises have been done in close collaboration with the concerned industry as a participatory programme. CPCB has also brought out guidelines for environmental auditing in different categories of industry.