NORTH CAROLINA EMS PILOT PROGRAM

Data Collection Information:  Data Categories

The research conducted with information from the database will seek to answer a fundamental question: To what extent does the implementation of an environmental management system change a facility’s behavior? To answer this question, the data collection protocols and research will focus on six primary dimensions:

• Environmental Performance: Does adoption of an EMS improve environmental performance and/or change a facility’s use of environmental performance indicators? Is there a difference if the EMS conforms with ISO 14001? 
• Environmental Condition Indicators: How are indicators of local, regional and global environmental conditions incorporated into the design of a facility’s EMS? 
• Pollution Prevention: Does the adoption of an EMS change a facility’s use of pollution prevention techniques? Do significant changes in environmental performance after EMS adoption result from greater use of pollution prevention practices? 
• Regulatory Compliance: Does a facility’s record of regulatory compliance change as a result of the adoption of an EMS? How does an EMS affect a facility’s regulatory status and its ability to identify or prevent instances of non-compliance? 
• Economic Performance (Costs and Benefits): What economic costs and benefits — both direct and indirect — does a facility accrue as a result of EMS adoption? Does the adoption of an EMS change a facility’s use of economic performance indicators and/or advanced environmental and materials accounting techniques? 
• Interested Party Involvement: How does a facility’s involvement of outside parties, such as environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the general public, change as a result of the adoption of an EMS? How does this involvement benefit a facility or influence its decisions? 

Back