Environmental Management System
Benefits of an EMS
The benefits of having an EMS are numerous:
- Helps staff track environmental compliance requirements.
- Increases environmental awareness on grounds.
- Important documents ranging from SOPs and emergency response plans to required regulatory records can be easily accessed and utilized by those who need them.
- Requires designation roles and responsibilities so the proper people can be notified in case of a problem or emergency.
- Requires training to ensure that everyone knows about the EMS and their individual role.
- Requires training to ensure that everyone who performs a task related to a significant aspect is properly trained so as to minimize any potential impacts associated with that activity.
- Provides a means by which students and staff can offer suggestions on ways to improve the University.
- Ensures University facilities are closely examining their operations and looking for ways to minimize their impact on the environment thus promoting sustainability within our community.
- May result in a cost savings as wasteful practices are replaced.
- Is a key part of the University's overall sustainability committement.
Environmental Health & Safety's Ford Hybrid.
Some of the beneficial changes implemented at UVa as a result of the EMS and sustainability-related initiatives:
- Use of Biodiesel in all UVa busses.
- Reduced frequency of washing of parking garage roofs.
- Transportation Demand Magement studies by UVa Parking and Transportation.
- Occasional parker, CavPool, and other initatives to reduce single occupancy vehicle commuting.
- Partnership with City of Charlottesville to allow memeber of the UVa community to ride City buses for free.
- Purchase of hybrids and other alternative vehicles by EHS, Housing, and P&T.
- Implemented spill protection for storage of used cooking oil at all Dining facilities.
- Created a refrigerant management plan for Dining.
- Creation of the Green Dining Group to advise Dining's sustainablity efforts.
- Purchasing of local, seasonal, humanely raised, fairly traded, and organically grown foods for dining locations.
- Purchasing alternatives to styrofoam for to-go containers.
- Removal of trays from UVa Dining Halls.
- Composting at UVa's O-Hill Dining Hall.
- Replaced the Gooch-Dillard Chiller with one using more environmentally friendly refrigerant.
- Increased recycling awareness in all facilities.
- Emphasized the use of double sided printing, where possible.
Secondary containment of used cooking oil storage containers at UVa Dining.
Check back often! More improvements to come as the EMS is implemented throughout the University
Contact EHS with Environmental Management System related questions or comments at storm-water@virginia.edu.
EHS Environmental Management System website questions or comments should be directed to Jess Wenger at jsw6d@virginia.edu or 982-5540.
