Under The Patronage of H. E. Shaikh Isa Bin Au AL Khalifa, Minister of Oil and Chairman of Gulf Petrochemical Industries Co. (GPIC), Arab Fertilizer Association with cooperation with GPIC held a workshop on "Environmental Management Systems" l 21 April 2005, in Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Workshop is designed to provide delegates from the fertilizer industry with an in-depth view of enviromnental management systems and other environmental issues in fertilizer plants and identify future trends and needs.

The following are the main points discussed and covered during the workshop:

  • Using of Best Available Technology (BAT) and it's effect on productivity and environmental protection

  • The new versions ISO 14001:2004 and its future impact on existing EMS certification and consequent.

  • Establishment of an EMS audit program as defined in ISO 19011:
    objectives and assignment of responsibilities for managing the audit program.

  • Impacts of regional and international legislation and standards on Arab fertilizer producers

  • Environmental assessment project functions and procedures

  • The environmental aspect limit requirement in the ITB (Gaseous Emission-Liquid emission, waste disposal, are studying and climate conditions)

  • Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) for phosphate -- Base Fertilizer project and tender evaluation, commissioning and operation stages.

  • Case study from GPIC on:
    • Developing a sustainable Environmental culture.
    • Integrated Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) approach.

  • Case studies on EMS in SABIC - FERTIL - OCP - APC


    Recommendations

  • Further need to review and up-date legislations and standards in Arab Countries as a continuous process.

  • Fertilizer Manufacture are strongly encouraged to adopt clean production philosophy during the designing stage.

  • Adopting innovations in environmental management, which give environmental performance a key factor in the system.

  • AFAwith cooperation with members provide training materials covering understanding of fertilizer use.

  • AFA has to work closely with international organization and agencies to review legislation.

  • AFA has to develop an audit and measurement systems, which show where you are in comparison to others.

  • Present successful cases, which demonstrate how the environmental key performance indicators were improved.

    20/04/2005
    The key note speech was delivered by Dr. Khadijh Zainal from the University of Bahrain, She highlighted the importance of the Arabian Gulf and Bahrain's territorial waters and their marine resources. Dr. Zainal also highlighted the efforts made by the governmental authorities in protecting the marine environment by putting appropriate legislations, ratifying to the relevant treaties and collaborating with regional organization like the ROPME.

    She also showed the results and finding of the ecological survey that they have carried out on the territorial waters of Bahrain, where by they have surveyed the debris, classified and quantified them, she indicated that about 50% of such debris are of plastic materials, coming mainly from domestic staff. Dr. Zainal stressed the importance of awareness and education to the youngsters to reduce waste generation. She also indicated the Bahrain's environment is a stressed environment, especially on the eastern coast. Dr. Zainal also mentioned that we have to consider the economic value associated with such waste and debris, to make us minimize such waste.

    20/04/2005
    1 paper was presented by Mr. Maithem Al Oraibi from GPIC -- Bahrain
    The title of the paper was "Developing A sustainable
    Environment Culture In an Integrated Safety, Health and
    Environment (SHE) approach, GPIC Case"
    This paper describes how an environment culture was developed at GPIC and company's commitments and resources that were necessary to sustain it. The paper also describes how environment culture is integrated in a common culture of Safety, Health and Environment (SHE). The paper is divided two parts. The first part describes how environment culture is developed using a fully fledged infrastructure of an integrated culture of Safety, Health and environment (SHE) initiatives. This part also explains how the integrated SHE culture is documented as systems using Quality Management System (QMS) as a general framework.

    20/04/2005
    1 paper was presented by Mr. Mohammed Al Hjouj
    from JPMC/Fertilizer Complex -- Aqaba - Jordan
    Environmental Requirements and environmental
    Management of A Phosphate-Base Fertilizer Project.
    He explained the background of environmental Management System (EMS) a an organized approach to integrating the methods for maintaining environmental compliance into the core process of a plant of company.

    In this paper, the environmental management and requirements of a phosphate -- base fertilizer project is shown at the different stages.

    • First stage: Planning Phase

    • Second stage: Tendering Stage including design basis of the project & Tender Environment Specification.

    • Third stage: Tender Evaluation process

    • Fourth stage: Commissioning and Operation Stage.

    20/04/2005
    1 paper was presented by Mr. Benazzouz Amine from OCP -- Morocco
    Management of the environment in the OCP group
    The environment policy of the OCP Group is based on a total control of the impact on our industrial facilities, and ensuring safe operating conditions for the staff, the public and for the nature.
    The company established a coherent and integrated environmental program, which goes beyond the need to comply with regulations and official requirements.
    In this respect, OCP has signed the responsible care initiative since 1997, as well as a partnership agreement with the Ministerial department in charge of environment, and then within partnerships with the department of water and forests, and finally the implementation of a global and corporate management syatem (GCMS).
    Furthermore, a five-year action plan has been implemented. This plan is centered on the characterization of our impacts in order to better identify investment and actions to consider, the reduction of atmospheric emissions and liquid waste disposal, the preservation of natural resource, the rational management of waste, tree planting, training, communication and partnership.

    20/04/2005
    1 paper was presented by Dr. Sami Amarneh
    From Arab Potash Company -- Jordan
    Audit and Follow up of the lSO-14001 and OHSAS -- 18001 Standards
    The paper as the title indicates addresses first the clause of internal auditing in OHSAS 18001 Standard, where the requirements are analyzed and the criteria for effective control of internal auditing is illustrated.
    The paper continues to continues to discuss the importance of scheduling and management support to the audit process and illustrates the importance of date collection and interpretation, ending with processing the audit results.
    The paper then presents some very useful highlights on the use of checklists in OH & S auditing, also the paper dealt with some key points on certification audit requirements and on the carious types of health and safety audits.

    -Ends-

  • © Press Release 2005