"The determination of significant environmental aspects does not require an environmental impact assessment" printed at the end of Clause 4.3.1.5 (Determining Significant Environmental Aspects) as a Note in ISO 14004 Standard. As a beginner to ISO 14001 and the country is also do not have many experience persons, this is the only way of education.

Daminda, what's your question? You want an explanation of that sentence?

Dear Mr. Harry,

Normally we determine Significant Environmental Aspects by the help of Environmental Impact Assessment. I am little bit confuse with this Note because without the Environmental Impact Assessment I can not think about a way to determining Significant Environmental Aspects. That is why I raised this question and I feel There is a problem with our understanding about ISO 14000.

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) or studies in my country are mandated by law and are compulsory for development projects that cover an area of above certain size. They are carried by professionals and they identify impacts, possible damages and all the mitigation and protection works that needs to be done with regards to the environment. Where such studies are completed and approved, you just need to follow the recommendations because everything is already done for you. In such cases we do not need to carry out aspects/impact assessment again because it had been done.

For smaller land area, we just need to carry out our own aspect/impact assessments. The standard tell us that we do not need an EIA. Where EIA is not mandatory or practiced, an aspect/impact assessment is good enough.

14004 is just a Guidance document, you don't even have to use or reference it.

Read the whole document...

ISO 14004:2004
Environmental management systems — General guidelines on principles, systems and support techniques

1 Scope....While the guidelines in this International Standard are consistent with the ISO 14001 environmental management system model, they are not intended to provide interpretations of the requirements of ISO 14001.

Don't get all up in a lather over someting that you don't have to use and an auditor will never ask about.

Don't get all up in a lather over someting that you don't have to use and an auditor will never ask about. ummmm...... "should (as apposed to will) never ask you about?"

In some cases, an environmental impact study could be appropriate. However, if you are a design house, your largest aspect could be waste paper. A true environmental impact study would probably not be appropriate. Now, on the other hand, if my company dealt with atomic waste disposal, then it might very well be appropriate (if not mandated by regulation).

Maybe qualifcation of my statement would be that I would not ask if 14004 was referenced and it had better not be asked by one of my team members unless the auditee stipulated specifically it was a system document and they took it to heart as a requirement...Guidelines are just that...If ya wanna, then go for it. If you don't wanna, then it don't matter.