About EMS

What is an EMS?

An EMS is an Environmental Management System.

Environmental Management Systems Guide (United States Environmental Protection Agency)

http://www.epa.gov/ne/assistance/univ/emsguide.html

What does it entail?

The concept, developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and based on the International Standards Organization (14001: 2004), seeks to integrate environmental concerns into day-to-day decisions and practices. Environmental aspects and impacts drive the EMS. An environmental aspect is an activity, product, or service that can interact with the environment while an environmental impact is the environmental change initiated by the aspect (NSF, 2001, 20). For example, at Kenyon, educating students is an environmental aspect while an environmental impact is researching the most efficient process for the disposing of hazardous waste on campus.

The Five Colleges of Ohio Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Roundtable, comprised of The College of Wooster, Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, and Ohio Wesleyan University, received a grant in January 2009 to lay the foundation for an Environmental Management System (EMS) at each of the Five Colleges of Ohio schools. Kenyon College is part of EPA's Region 5.

Who is involved in Kenyon's EMS?

Gary Sweeney, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist and EMS Chair, and his student intern, Jenny Bock, are currently gathering information for and are working on the initial groundwork of implementing an Environmental Management System. As of now, their work involves getting the word out, organizing records of regulatory compliance, and program development. The Environmental Health and Safety office at Kenyon focuses on Other Kenyon EMS team members include Ed Neal, the newly appointed Director of Sustainability, Darcy Blankenhorn, the Biology Materials and Laboratory Technical Director, and Dudley Thomas, the Director of Chemical Laboratories. Each Five Colleges of Ohio school has a three person team comprised of an Environmental Health and Safety member, a representative from facilities, and a faculty representative.

Modified by Jenny Bock, Environmental Health and Safety student assistant