Enviro Compliance Hub

Q: What is the role of an Environmental Management System (EMS), such as ISO 14001, in achieving compliance?

A: The role of an EMS like ISO 14001 is to provide a structured, systematic framework for managing environmental aspects and achieving continuous improvement.  

1. Systematic Identification – Forces the organization to identify all relevant legal and other requirements (compliance obligations).
2. Integration – Integrates environmental performance into daily business operations.
3. Monitoring and Measurement – Ensures performance is regularly tracked and measured against objectives and legal requirements.
4. Continuous Improvement – The "Plan-Do-Check-Act" cycle guarantees that the system is reviewed and improved over time, helping to stay ahead of regulatory changes and prevent recurring issues.

Q: Our facility uses a lot of chemicals. What is the single most important guideline for hazardous material handling ?

Before a substance is used, stored, or disposed of, you must know exactly what it is. This dictates:

1. The required personal protective equipment (PPE).
2. Safe storage conditions (e.g., segregation from incompatible materials).
3. Emergency response procedures for spills.
4. The correct waste stream for disposal.

Failure to correctly identify a hazardous material is the root cause of many compliance violations and safety incidents.

Q: With climate change legislation evolving, what is a key emerging area of environmental compliance ?

1. Measure and disclose their Scope 1, 2, and often Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
2. Set science-based targets for emission reduction.
3. Report on climate-related financial risks and opportunities (e.g., following the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures - TCFD).

Q: How can a company establish an effective environmental compliance culture ?

1. Visible Leadership Commitment – The Board and C-suite must openly prioritize compliance over expediency or cost-cutting.
2. Clear Communication & Training – Implement a robust training program to ensure every employee understands the regulations relevant to their job and their role in compliance.
3. Defined Roles and Accountability – Appoint a specific person or team (e.g., an Environmental Manager) who is clearly responsible for compliance oversight and reporting.
4. Incentivize Reporting – Create a non-retaliatory system for employees to report potential issues or near-misses without fear of punishment, allowing for corrective action before a violation occurs.

Q: What are the biggest financial risks associated with non-compliance ?

1. Direct Fines & Penalties – Regulatory agencies impose civil and sometimes criminal penalties, which can be significant and often accrue per day of violation.
2. Cleanup and Remediation Costs – Companies may be legally required to pay for the cleanup of contaminated soil, water, or air, which can cost millions.
3. Operational Shutdowns – Regulators can issue "Stop Work" orders, forcing an immediate, costly halt to operations until compliance is restored.
4. Reputational Damage – Non-compliance can lead to negative public image, loss of customer trust, and difficulty attracting investment, impacting the long-term bottom line.

Q: What is an Environmental Compliance Audit, and how often should a company conduct one ?

A: An Environmental Compliance Audit is a systematic, objective review of a company's operations, processes, and records to verify adherence to all applicable environmental laws, regulations, permits, and internal policies.

1. Internal Audits – At least annually, often performed by in-house teams.
2. External Audits – Every 3 to 5 years, conducted by an independent third-party consultant for a fresh, unbiased perspective.
3. Trigger-Based Audits – Immediately following a major regulatory change, a significant operational change, or after an incident or acquisition.

Q: What are the foundational environmental compliance requirements for most businesses, regardless of industry ?

A: it is varied by location and industry category, generally there ae three core area as below.  

1. Waste Management – Proper identification, storage, handling, and disposal of all waste, especially hazardous waste, in accordance with regulations like the US's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or local/regional equivalents.
2. Water Quality – Preventing unauthorized discharge of pollutants into waterways or storm drains, often requiring permits (like the US's NPDES under the Clean Water Act) for process wastewater and even stormwater runoff from certain facilities.
3. Air Emissions – Identifying and, if necessary, permitting and controlling emissions of air pollutants from stationary sources like boilers, generators, or manufacturing processes, as per local or national Clean Air Acts.

Q: What is the environmental governance ?

A: Environmental governance are the processes of decision-making involved in the control and management of the environment and natural resources.  

Q: What is the difference between ISO 14001 and 45001 ?

A: ISO 14001 is for Environmental Management (EMS), focusing on reducing an organization's environmental impact and promoting sustainability & ISO 45001 is for Occupational Health and Safety (OHSMS), providing a framework for preventing work-related injury, ill-health, and death by proactively improving workplace safety. 

Q: what is the type of environment audit ?

1. Category I – Environmental compliance audits.
2. Category II – Environmental management audits.
3. Category III – Functional environmental audits.

Q: what is the environment audit rule 2025 ?

A: These rules create a formal framework for environmental auditing across the country aimed at enhancing environmental compliance monitoring & ease of doing business across India.  

Q: What is the ESG ?

A: ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance and represents a set of criteria used to evaluate a company's sustainability and societal impact beyond its financial performance.  

Q: How many pillars in ESG and what is the importance of this ?

A: Environmental, Social, and Governance represent the three pillars that make up ESG, Environment - A company's impact on the planet and natural resources. Social - A company's relationship with people and society. Governance - The internal management and leadership of a company.  

Q: What is plastic category in EPR?

1. Category I – Rigid Plastic Packaging: This includes hard plastics like bottles, containers, and caps.
2. Category II – Flexible Plastic Packaging: This includes single-layer or multilayer flexible packaging, plastic sheets, carry bags, sachets, and pouches.
3. Category III – Multilayered Plastic Packaging: Packaging with at least one plastic layer and one non-plastic layer, often found in food packaging.
4. Category IV – Compostable Plastic Packaging: Includes plastic sheets or carry bags made from compostable materials.

Q: MSME is eligible to EPR ?

A: Yes, some MSMEs are eligible for exemptions from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations under specific regulations in India. For example, the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, exempt micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from certain EPR obligations related to plastic packaging. Similarly, the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022 exempt micro enterprises from being considered obligated entities.  

Q: What is the Key aspects of BRSR score ?

1. Value Chain Focus: The BRSR Core emphasizes disclosures related to the value chain, including upstream and downstream partners.
2. ESG Attributes: It covers nine key ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) attributes.
3. Assurance Requirements: The BRSR Core includes specific assurance requirements for certain disclosures.
4. KPIs and Metrics: It defines specific KPIs and metrics for reporting on the identified ESG attributes.
5. Global Comparability: The framework aims to align with international norms and improve global comparability of sustainability information.

Q: What is BRSR and which industry is eligible to compliance ?

A: BRSR, or Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting, is a framework introduced by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for listed companies in India to disclose their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance. The primary requirement for BRSR reporting is that the company must be among the top 1,000 listed entities in India based on market capitalization. 

Q: what is the key update of ISO 14001 ?

1. Life cycle thinking
2. Commitment from Top Management
3. Compliance Evaluation
4. Alignment with High Level Structure

Q: What is EIA ?

A: The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a management tool used to evaluate the potential environmental effects of a proposed project and identify solutions or measures to mitigate those impacts. Its primary objective is to ensure that all relevant environmental factors are carefully considered before a project is approved. As per the EIA notification dated 14th September 2006, and its subsequent amendments under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Government of India, obtaining environmental clearance is mandatory for the establishment of a new industry or the expansion of an existing one. 

Q: Environment clearance applicable to all types of MSMEs in india ?

A: The applicability of EC depends on the nature of the MSME's activities, its potential environmental impact, and its     location, as determined by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the relevant State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs). 

Q: What benefits of EPR for across the industries ?

1. Reduced environment impact
2. circular economy
3. Resource conservation
4. Improved waste management
5. enhance brand reputation

Q: Can MSMEs applicable for plastic waste EPR ?

A: Currently micro enterprises are not classified as obligated entities means they are exempt form EPR compliance requirements.

Q: what is the safe disposal of hazardous waste practices?

A: There are 4importants safe disposal method found in current safe disposal of hazardous waste.

1. Recycling
2. Incineration
3. Land disposal
4. Biological treatment

Q: How do we manage environmental liabilities and risks?

A: Managing environmental liabilities and risks is crucial for any organization that operates in a physical environment. It involves identifying, assessing, and mitigating potential environmental impacts arising from current and past operations.

Q: What is the concept of carbon footprint and how it is measured?

A: Carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by an organization, product, or activity. These gases trap heat in the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Measuring carbon footprint involves quantifying the emissions associated with:
Direct Emissions:  GHGs released directly from sources owned or controlled by an organization, such as fossil fuel combustion for electricity or heat generation.
Indirect Emissions:  GHGs associated with purchased electricity, heat, or steam from external sources. This is often referred to as Scope 2 emissions.
Upstream Emissions: GHGs generated in the value chain before the organization’s control, such as raw material extraction, transportation, and manufacturing. This is typically referred to as Scope 3 emissions.

Q: How do we track and report environmental performance indicators?

A: Tracking and reporting environmental performance indicators is crucial for monitoring progress towards sustainability goals and identifying areas for improvement. Commonly used KPIs include: Energy Consumption, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Waste Generation, Water Consumption, and Air Emissions.

Q: What is the Wealth from Waste concept?

A: Now a days with the help of modern technologies, different waste’s from industries, commercial shops and from societies can be converted into usable products making direct benefits. Industries can treat the waste water upto re-usable levels. Different type of solid waste having good calorific values can be converted into fuels or can be given to cement industries after re-processing to use as supplement fuel. By segregating solid, dry and wet waste, societies may sell the plastic waste , also from wet waste manure can be made and replaced with existing costly manures.

Q: Who should get ISO 14001?

A: ISO 14001 certification can benefit businesses and organizations of all sizes. This will help in increasing productivity and reducing cost by using resources more efficiently, you should consider starting the ISO 14001 certification process as early as possible. This certification is open to all fields.

Q: What are the main principles of sustainable development?

A: Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the future. It includes:
Economic Development: Fair and inclusive economic growth.
Social Equity: Equal access to opportunities and resources.
Environmental Protection: Conservation, responsible use of resources, and pollution reduction.

Q: Why is environmental compliance important in chemical manufacturing?

A: Compliance ensures legal operation, protects the environment, and avoids costly penalties or shutdowns.

Q: What are some key pollution control norms?

A: These include effluent treatment, air emission controls, and hazardous waste management per CPCB/SPCB guidelines.

Q: What challenges do MSMEs face in compliance?

A: Limited resources, lack of awareness, and evolving regulatory frameworks make it difficult to stay compliant.

Q: How can we simplify environmental reporting?

A: Use digital tools, maintain regular logs, and consult EHS experts to streamline and automate reporting.