Protecting the Environment Through an Environmental Management System
Metro Waste Authority was one of six solid waste agencies selected to be part of the 2009 pilot program for implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) for solid waste management.
EMS is a set of management processes and procedures developed by an organization to proactively manage its environmental impacts. It is based on the continual improvement cycle of "plan, do, check and act." Many organizations use an EMS to not only identify and evaluate environmental legal
requirements, but to reduce overall environmental impacts and associated regulatory compliance risks. An EMS can also be used to reduce costs and inefficiencies, prevent work disruptions and improve worker morale.
Metro Waste Authority is no stranger to using an EMS. In 2002, MWA implemented an EMS for operations at the Metro Park East Landfill. The EMS was successful in reducing greenhouse emissions, reducing and controlling spills, cutting reliance on fossil fuel-based
lubricants and engaging employees in becoming part of the solution for environmental protection.
Building on this success, MWA expanded the EMS to operations at the Regional Collection Center in 2005. RCC increased office waste recycling, reduced energy consumption by replacing old equipment with more efficient models and developed a new safety training
program for employees.
Our success with the EMS led to MWA advocating for this approach to be used statewide in solid waste management. The approach was adopted in 2008 through Iowa House File 2570 and defines the next generation of environmentally
sound practices for solid waste management. Landfill agencies will be judged on their ability to divert waste from the landfill, and on their ability to continuously improve how they protect the environment overall.
The foundation of an EMS is its environmental policy, which expresses an organization's commitment to improving environmental performance, and sets out goals for pollution prevention, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement. MWA's
environmental policy was set in January 2003 and remains
our guide today.
Our EMS is led by a core team of MWA employees who serve as MWA's program experts. Members of the team include:
- Geri Crawford, Executive Administrative Assistant
- Jeff Dworek, Director of Operations
- Tom Hadden, Executive Director
- Sara Kurovski, Compliance Manager
- Judi Mendenhall, RCC Facility Manager
- Reo Menning, Public Affairs Director
- Paul Nemmers, Solid Waste Utility Worker
MWA's EMS empowers every employee to become an environmental steward. Employees can be involved individually by making suggestions for improvement, and in Work Teams that review and implement the environmental improvements.
For more information on the EMS program, please contact Metro Waste Authority.
