Occupational Safety And Environmental Safety For The Food Industry Lecture 4 PDF

Occupational Safety and Environmental Safety for the Food Industry Jennifer Campbell Lecture 4 © Innopharma  Module Overview This module aims to provide the student with comprehension of Health and Safety in the food industry, including the nature of hazards & their control, biosafety, ris...

Occupational Safety and Environmental Safety for the Food Industry Jennifer Campbell Lecture 4 © Innopharma  Module Overview This module aims to provide the student with comprehension of Health and Safety in the food industry, including the nature of hazards & their control, biosafety, risk assessment, waste management, with emphasis on legal requirements. 5 ECTS Module Breakdown 70% Final Exam – 2 hours 30% Continuous Assessment – MCQ Lectures 5x Evenings 1x Saturday Contact Details: [email protected] © Innopharma 2  Module Learning Outcomes LO 1: Discuss the role and responsibilities of employees, employers and regulatory agencies under national and international legal frameworks. LO 2: Explain the types of information contained in a safety statement & discuss the steps in its preparation. LO 3: List the different types of hazards, there routes of exposure, personal protection equipment, along with describe the term safety data sheet and explain the information it contains. LO 4: Discuss both the causes and categories of biohazards and contaminants, the importance of cleaning, and review the different methods of sterilisation. LO 5: Explain the waste management hierarchy, along with discuss the role and function of regulatory agencies. LO 6: Describe how waste material is classified and explain the different methods of treating/disposing of gaseous, liquid and solid waste. © Innopharma  Sustainability © Innopharma Sustainability - What is it? "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs"  The 3 Pillars of Sustainability Deepwater Horizon oil spill | Summary, Effects, Cause, Clean Up, & Facts | Britannica The 3 Pillars of Sustainability …or The 3 Ps Waste Management Hierarchy © Innopharma 9  Environmental Management © Innopharma Introduction to Environmental Management Waste management is one of the most challenging environmental issues facing the world today © Innopharma 12  Introduction to Environmental Management Emissions and discharges were relatively low Past: Could be absorbed by natural systems and dissipated without harmful effects 80s/90s: Began linking GHG emissions scientific evidence from human activities to climate change Development of environmental pressure groups Catastrophic accidents have also caused political action to be taken e.g. Chernobyl Nuclear Incident © Innopharma  Introduction to Environmental Management 1987, World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED) Report – landmark document in the history of environmental sustainability – “Our common future” Defined sustainable development: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Laid the groundwork for subsequent international environmental conferences and agreements: o 1992 Rio Earth Summit and adoption of Agenda 21 o SDGs 2015 © Innopharma © Innopharma  COP 21 The Paris Climate Conference led to a new international climate agreement applicable to all countries Key outcome of COP21 – Paris Agreement Aims to keep global warming at 1.5 – 2°C in accordance with recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) © Innopharma  Paris Agreement © Innopharma  Precautionary Principle Strategy for approaching issues of environmental and public health risk when scientific understanding is incomplete. © Innopharma  Polluter Pays Principle Environmental policy concept that requires those who cause pollution to bear the costs associated with managing and mitigating the damage caused. © Innopharma  Proximity Principle Waste must be managed as close to its source as possible. Minimise environmental impacts (spills, leaks, accidental releases etc.) © Innopharma  Responsible Care A voluntary code developed by the chemical industry that helps the industry to raise its standards and win greater trust from the public © Innopharma  Responsible Care Here, industry is committed to continual improvement in all aspects of health, safety and environmental performance Also to be in open communication about it’s activities and achievements So companies provide: Relevant data on their health, safety and environmental performance checks Carry out self-assessment of their activities The data collected allows identification of areas for improvement if necessary. © Innopharma  Responsible Care Consists of Seven Codes of Management Practice 1. Employee H&S 2. Community Awareness & Emergency Response 3. Process Safety 4. Pollution Prevention 5. Distribution 6. Product Stewardship 7. Security © Innopharma  Responsible Care: Employee H&S Principle: Protect the health and safety of employees, contractors, and the community. Provides guidelines to protect the H&S of employees, contractors and visitors Key Encourages the development and improvement of programmes designed to protect health Practices: - Effective safety management systems - Regular H&S training - Emergency response plans © Innopharma Responsible Care: Community Awareness & …………………… Emergency Response (CAER) Principle: Engage with the local community and ensure effective emergency response plans are in place. Key Open communication with employees and the community about operations Practices: Involvement in community activities Preparation for potential emergencies © Innopharma  Responsible Care: Process Safety Principle: Ensure the safe operation of chemical processes to prevent accidents and incidents. Sharing of safety knowledge, training and community involvement Key Regularly assess and manage risks associated with chemical processes Practices: Maintain equipment Follow stringent safety protocols © Innopharma  Responsible Care: Pollution Prevention Principle: Minimize waste and emissions, and promote sustainable resource use. Implement measures to reduce waste generation, emissions and resource consumption and continuously seek ways to improve environmental Key performance Focuses on: Practices: - Waste prevention - Emissions reduction - Environmentally sound management of all waste products. © Innopharma  Responsible Care: Distribution Principle: Ensure the safe and secure transportation and distribution of chemical products. Sets guidelines for the reduction of risks associated with the transportation of chemicals. Key Applies to all modes of transportation and includes the shipment of materials around the site and between Practices: customers. Ensure all parties involved are training and prepared for emergencies. © Innopharma  Responsible Care: Product Stewardship Principle: Manage the safety of products throughout their lifecycle – cradle to grave approach Ensures products are designed, manufactured, used Key and disposed of safely. Provide accurate product information. Practices: Address potential hazards. Requires liaison with suppliers, customers, distributors and employees. © Innopharma  Responsible Care: Security Principle: Protect chemical facilities, products, and information from security threats. Key Implement security measures to safeguard against theft, sabotage, and other security risks. Practices: Ensure that employees are aware of and adhere to security protocols. © Innopharma  Seveso Directive Named after the Seveso disaster in Italy, 1976 o Chemical plant releasing a cloud of dioxin – severe environmental and health impacts Aimed at preventing major chemical accidents and ensuring preparedness and response measures are in place should accidents occur © Innopharma 31  Seveso I, II, III Original Seveso Directive (82/501/EEC) adopted in 1982 following the Seveso Disaster Seveso I Aimed to prevent major accidents involving dangerous substances & limit consequences for health and env Directive revised and replaced by Seveso II Seveso II (96/82/EC) in 1996. Included stricter safety mgt. systems, emergency planning and land-use planning to consider the risks posed by hazardous sites. Came into force June 2015 updating and expanding the directive to align with Seveso III changes in EU legislation on chemicals, particularly the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation. © Innopharma  Understanding the Seveso Disaster: Science, Impacts and Policy Changes Understanding the Seveso Disaster: Science, Impacts, and Policy (treehugger.com) © Innopharma  The objectives of the directives are to reduce the probability of a major accident occurring… Some of the duties imposed on manufacturers by the Seveso Regulations include: 1. Taking all necessary measures to prevent major accidents 2. Limit the consequences of such accidents for people and the environment. 3. Nationally… inform the HSA as soon as a major accident or occurrence occurs. The Seveso Directives are the main EU legislation dealing specifically with the control of on-shore major accident hazards involving dangerous substances © Innopharma  Waste Management © Innopharma Food Waste Ireland is wasting over one million meals a day 750,000 tonnes of food waste in 2022 70% of food waste was generated by businesses and industries across the food supply chain, 30% by households. © Innopharma Ireland is wasting over one million meals a day | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie)  Segregation & Ready for Recycle © Innopharma Waste Management Hierarchy © Innopharma 38  Prevention & Reduction Avoiding the generation of waste in the first instance is best & brings with it economic advantages It places no burden on the environment. For producers, avoiding waste, means re-assessing how products are made and the packaging used. For consumers, waste reduction can be achieved by purchasing items with little or no packaging and not replacing items until necessary. © Innopharma Food for Thought… © Innopharma Reuse Involves using a product again, either for the same purpose or for a different purpose. The product may need to be cleaned before it can be re- used. © Innopharma  Recycle Process involving the recovery of materials and making them into new goods instead of disposal. Bio-based © Innopharma material from fruit waste of orange peel for industrial applications - ScienceDirect © Innopharma  Recover Energy Recovery Traditionally most waste was disposed of in landfills. Some waste can be recovered - reused and recycled. Example: Biodegradable waste can be collected, separated and sent to a composting plant. Bacteria feed/ breakdown on the organic material End products are compost, can be used as fertilizer and biogases (methane and carbon dioxide) Methane can be captured and used to produce heat or electricity © Innopharma Dispose © Innopharma  Historical approach to waste management in Ireland Historically, Ireland had few laws to protect the environment. Relied heavily on landfill. 1990s Unprecedented economic growth = increased waste generation Almost completely dependent on landfill Increasing public concern for human health and the environment Legislation that governed waste management included (very minimal): o Public Health Act 1878 o Water Pollution Act 1978 o Air Pollution Act 1988 It wasn't until the 1990s that Ireland began to reform its waste management policies in response to increasing awareness of environmental impacts and the need to comply with European Union directives o Waste Management Act 1996 o EU Directives e.g. Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) o National Waste Prevention Programme 2004 o European Communities (Waste Directive Regulations) 2011 © Innopharma  Environmental Protection Agency © Innopharma  Environmental Protection Agency Independent public body established under the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 Also derive mandate from Waste Management Act, 1996, the Protection of the Environment Act, 2003 and Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014. Purpose: Protect, improve and restore our environment through regulation, scientific knowledge, working with others. Vision: To live sustainably in a health environment that is valued and protected by all Roles: o Environmental regulator o Key source of trusted scientific knowledge o Voice for the environment through leadership & advocacy © Innopharma Home | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie)  Environmental Protection Agency Exercise the Precautionary Principle approach Applies the Polluter Pays Principle Encourages: o Public involvement in environmental management o By providing it's services/ fulfilling it's role: ▪ Licensing ▪ Monitoring ▪ Advice © Innopharma  Environmental Protection Agency - Licensing Regulating large-scale activities with significant polluting potential via Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) licenses (Previously IPPC licence). Ensures they do not endanger human health or harm the environment. Regulation of all major waste disposal and recovery activities include landfill sites via waste licenses. Regulation of emissions of Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) and deliberate release of GMOs. Audits and sanctions. Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licensing | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie) © Innopharma  Environmental Protection Agency - Monitoring Major responsibility for general environmental quality including quality of air, water (rivers, lakes etc.) and soil. Prepares national environmental monitoring programmes outlining the monitoring required and who is responsible for the monitoring. Performs air and water quality monitoring. Monitors specific problems/ breech relating to IPC licensed facilities. © Innopharma © Innopharma Air_Quality_Report_22_v8 (adobe.com)  Environmental Protection Agency - Advice Provides advice and assistance to local authorities on their environmental protection responsibilities (e.g. sewage treatment plants and drinking water quality) Also advice on: © Innopharma  Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licenses Licensing regime applied to certain industries in Ireland. Introduced in 2004. (Previously Integrated Pollution Prevention (IPPC) License) License itself regulates the quantity and nature of pollutants emitted into the environment by the licensee. Purpose: To reduce/ prevent emissions to air, water and land and to use energy efficiently. All embracing license for air/water pollution and waste disposal (all emissions and discharges) © Innopharma Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) Licenses Sets daily emissions limits and frequency of monitoring required. Monitoring: o Continuous o Daily o Monthly o Annually EPA performs audits/ checks to ensure the company is staying within the limits © Innopharma 090151b2804f722a.pdf (epa.ie) © Innopharma 56 Scope of the License Sets out the role of the license. Defines the licensed area. Types of activities permissible at the facility. Sample License Emission limits (previous slide) Stipulates that the license prohibits Sample Application Form any changes on site that may effect the environment without pre-approval by the EPA. Monitoring and Reporting requirements Compliance and Enforcement © Innopharma Management of Activity Outlines how the activity is managed and requires that a continual improvement EMS be implemented. EPA in IE was Europe's first regulatory body to include requirements for an EMS to be established as part of the IPC license. © Innopharma Interpretation & Requirements Emissions into the atmosphere o Requires monitoring of emissions to ensure compliance with permitted emission limit values. Emissions into sewer o Requires continual monitoring of sewer emissions to ensure compliance with permitted effluent emission limit values. © Innopharma  Notification of Incidents Requires the company to notify the EPA of any non-compliances or environmental incidents. Example: Air emission limit exceeded; untreated effluent discharged Discharge at Tipperary Co-Op P0801-03 | Environmental Protection Agency (epa.ie) © Innopharma Waste Management This condition requires proper disposal routes for all waste generated both on and offsite. This condition also requires recording of all activities relating to waste management. Reporting to the EPA of details on waste produced to the EPA. © Innopharma More License Requirements © Innopharma  Environmental Management Systems (EMS) © Innopharma  Environmental Management Systems EMS is a normal requirement under the IPC licence. Set of processes and practices that enable an organisation to: o Reduce its environmental impacts o Improve environmental performance Provides a structure process for the achievement of continual improvement. A number of EMS's available: o ISO14001 most widely accepted © Innopharma © Innopharma  Conclusions The environment including waste management is a highly regulated area. Codes of practice, agencies and legislation. EPA is critical and the IPPC license is essential. © Innopharma The 3 Pillars of Sustainability …or The 3 Ps