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Europe's Emas scheme shows its teeth
14th March 2003
ENDS - Environment Daily
A British company has been suspended from the EU's Emas environmental management scheme for breaching environmental regulations, joining a very small number of companies ejected in this way. The rule that non-compliant organisations must be suspended is a key element differentiating Emas from the ISO 14001 international environmental management standard.
According to the Anglo-Welsh environment agency, poor management practices were discovered at chemical firm AH Marks, following an unauthorised release of a harmful solvent. This is only the second time that a UK Emas-registered firm has been suspended for breaching environmental rules.
Ejections from Emas for environmental infractions are equally rare elsewhere in Europe. In Germany, which accounts for over two-thirds of all Emas registrations, there have only been three or four, according to competent authority DIHK. Some have also been reported in Italy.
European Commission statistics show 46 organisations in six countries were suspended from Emas in 2002. However, most if not all of these appear to have been for administrative reasons. In Austria and Germany, for example, suspension is used only as a holding measure for firms that need more time to complete Emas validation or their annual environmental statement.
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