PREPARING EMP AND EMIS DOCUMENTS

Environment Management Plans (EMP) and Environment Management Information Systems (EMIS) are common requirements for environmentally relevant activities and operations requiring an environmental authority.

For most activities, the actual license should contain the main performance indicators (e.g. quantity of wastewater, levels of salt and nutrients, discharge limits). The EMP/EMIS documents are working plans of how these performance indicators will be obtained. The working plans are more easily updated and changed than the license itself, as they are effectively internal documents of procedures and methods. They are normally written for use by factory managers, environmental officers and regulatory agencies.

For each environmental issue identified in the license, these documents normally detail:

●	objectives - for example, '... use water efficient methods to maintain wastewater production at less than 1 ML/day of operation'
●	methodology - for example, a brief description of water conservation and recycling procedures
●	responsibility - for example, a definition of the management position responsible for achieving the objectives
●	performance criteria - for example, specification of 1 ML/day wastewater production and its point of measurement
●	remedial actions - for example, a list of short, medium and long-term strategies which would be implemented if the criteria could not be met.

The land disposal issues covered in these documents may include a complaints register, effluent quality, quantity, storage and disposal methods, odour, dust, discharge to receiving waters and erosion and stormwater management.

For most projects, a separate monitoring program may also be required.

Back to "What we do".