Audit refers to an inspection and review process that determines any variations from the expected results and ways to make changes. A pollution prevention is a process of reducing or eliminating the creation, emission, and release of pollutants and hazardous products into the environment. Pollution prevention (P2) audit is a critical process in the P2 process. P2 audit determines the production sources of pollutants, level of energy applied, and how to protect resources. Disposable and reusable cups are some of the highest pollutants, in this essay, we analyze how to carry out the P2 audit for these products.
Phase One
Audit Focus and Preparation
Audit focus and preparation involves the critical processes of getting ready for the audit plan. This step enables the audit team members to gather all they require to have their work done smoothly. In this stage, the team determines the required resources for the audit, the audit objectives, and participation. It is important for the audit team to be ready for their work to get a head start on their work. If the focus and preparation process is left out, the team may not be effective due to lack of focus or resources needed for the audit (Cheremisinoff, 2002a) .
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List Unit Operations
After preparation, the team needs to know the operations of the audit. Having a checklist on what to do and an understanding of the process will make things smooth (Cheremisinoff, 2002a) . For instance, they have to know what is the beginning part of the audit, the job requirements, and expectations. A walk-through of the work puts all members in the same mindset for the audit hence creating a cohesive job environment. This step is crucial before the audit begins – after preparation, it is important to have the team in the same state of mind and understanding of the audit operations.
Construction of Process Flow Sheets
Flow is important in any job as it leads to efficiency and effectiveness of the team. A process flow states what begins, follows, and ends. When there is a process flow, the operations are smooth and according to plan hence achievement of the audit, objectives is more likely (Cheremisinoff, 2002a) . The process flow sheets give team members a step by step guide on the audit process. This is an important step because the flow is important in achieving set objectives effectively. When the flow is lacking, then it is hard to do a job effectively.
Phase Two
Determining Inputs
Inputs are all the resources required to carry out the job. Resources make the audit possible – for instance, when capital is not determined there may be a shortage during the audit. Determining inputs also enables the audit management to plan how the audit team can effectively use these resources (Cheremisinoff, 2002b) . It is almost impossible to execute a plan without determining the required resources. In step 2, listing unit operations, every operation needs an allocation of resources hence this step is very important.
Accounting for Water Usage
Water is an important resource for the public. It is important to understand and determine how much water these cup products use and recycle water. Accounting for water usage will determine the level of water wastage for these products. For instance, the reusable cups require thorough cleaning that meets set health standards. Determining how much water these cups require per unit will give insight on reuse efficiency. This step is important for the cup products as it will help the team determine how they contribute to water wastage hence determine overall pollution.
Accounting for Gaseous Emissions
Cup products are made of potential pollutants – polypropylene for disposable cups and polycarbonate for reusable cups. It is important, in the audit process, to determine the composition of these materials. Both of these materials require heating to mold in different shapes and designs. The team needs to account for what gas is emitted in the process and its effects on the environment. This step gives a detailed analysis of the pollution capabilities of the cup products.
Phase Three
Targeting and Characterizing Problem Wastes
In this stage, the team determines the cause of generating the waste and factors that lead to it. For instance, noncompliance with set standards may lead to waste emission and generation. Characterization of the wastes determines the level of concentrations of the waste to enable the team to prioritize their reduction actions. This step alerts the team and management on the costly waste issues and the required resources to prevent pollution. This step is important in creating an action plan and recommendations for the pollution prevention process.
Developing Long-term Waste-reduction Options
Determination of ways to prevent pollution is important. However, having sustainable and long-term methods makes the audit more effective. It is important for the team to look into the future to ensure the audit process is more efficient. Long-term options of waste reduction ensure that the problem will not have to come up time and again. This step gives more concrete meaning to the audit process.
Developing and Implementing the Action Plan
The purpose of the audit is to determine pollution prevention methods. An action plan shows steps to be applied to achieve this objective. An action plan makes implementation very easy. It sets out the action, resources, timeline, and review requirement. This step ensures that the audit information is relevant and applicable.
References
Cheremisinoff, N. P. (2002a). How to conduct a pollution prevention audit – Part 1: Do an audit in-house and surprises. Pollution Engineering, 34 (3), 24-28.
Cheremisinoff, N. P. (2002b). Conduct a pollution prevention audit – Part 2: Do an audit in-house and avoid surprises. Pollution Engineering, 34 (4), 16-19.
