What to Expect When an Environmental Officer Inspects Your Facility: A brief guide for business owners, officials, and employees PDF
Preview What to Expect When an Environmental Officer Inspects Your Facility: A brief guide for business owners, officials, and employees
yss^c December 2004 What to Expect When an Environmental Officer Your Inspects Facility A brief guide for business owners, officials and employees This fact sheet provides ageneral description of what to expect from and how to prepare for an inspection by an Environmental Officer from the Ministry ofthe Environment. Knowing what to expect during and after an environmental inspection can help reducethe apprehension you may have aboutthe process. This fact sheet also answers frequently asked questions about the inspection process and providesyou with useful tips and contact information. What can I expect from an inspection? An Environmental Officer(EO) is a provincial officerwho has the legal authority to entera facility to conduct an inspection under environmental legislation in Ontario. Ministry EOs are committedto performingtheirduties according to the Code ofProfessionalism developed forprovincial inspectors and investigators. The Code promotes respect forthe law and ensures that inspections are conducted in a timely, consistent, impartial and courteous manner. EOs administer programs and enforce legislation to Upon arriving atyour facility, an EO will identify protectairand water, manage wastes, control the her/himself The EO will ask to speak to the person use ofpesticides and promote healthier ecosystems in charge or a facility operator/environmental in the commercial, industrial, municipal, coordinator. The EO will explain the purpose of institutional and agricultural sectors. the inspection and any areas that may be ofspecific concern. Generally, an EO will schedule the inspection in advance by consulting with you. However, in The EO may ask to interview personnel, review certain circumstances, it is necessary for an EO to records, tourthe facility, collect samples, take arrive unannounced, forexample, in theevent ofa photographs and copy documents. spill orunregulated release to the environment. Ontario Pruli'vting ourem iroinneiit. While on site, the EO will collect information to Ifthe facility's operation complies with upon conviction are more severethanthose undera environmental legislation, the EO will take no Part 1 ticket. action unless pollution prevention measures are necessary. TIP Considerconducting a self-assessment ofyour However, everv non-compliance situation facility' to ensure that >ou are compKing with identified will be promptly evaluated to determine environmental requirements. This can help whether it constitutes: improve >ourcompliance and identifS pollution • aknown or anticipated human health or prevention opportunities that can reduceyour environmental impact (ie. emergency or operatingcosts. spill): or • a potential, uncertain environmental hazard. Where do I go for more information? Ifan emergencv or spill poses an immediate danger For more information aboutthe ministrj visit our to human health orto the environment such that websiteat: www.ene.gov.on.ca. immediate action is warranted, the EO may force action, including curtailing or stopping a Information regardingthe Municipal Drinking company's operations. Water Inspections Protocol is available from the ministn. website underthe Monitoring and Ifthe EO believes there isan environmental impact Compliance section ofthe Water menu. or an immediate dangerto human health orto the MOE environment, butthe nature ofthe problem is You ma) also contact \our local District uncertain (e.g., buried hazardous wastes), the EO office formore information about environmental ma\ require >ou to take action to identifS the inspections and regulations. nature and extent ofthe problem. Spills and emergencies are to be reported to the A Provincial OfficerOrder is tvpicalK used to deal Spills Action Centre toll-free at 1-800-268-6060. with serious non-compliance, although circumstances may cause an EO to issue an Order for lesseroffenses. An Order is a legal document setting out obligations fora specific person or persons in relationto aspecific operation. Somenon-compliance may warrantaticket under Part I ofthe Provincial Offences Act, These are similar to speeding tickets, and have preset tines. In othernon-compliance situations, you could receive a verbal orwritten request to correctthis within a certain time period. This is known as an abatement program. Such requests are t>picall\- used for minor issues. When the EO is oftheopinion thatthere is serious non-compliance,the mattermay be referred to the ministrv's Investigations and Enforcement Branch (lEB) for in\estigation and potential prosecution. If the lEB lays charges, then \ou will receive a Part III Information and Summons underthe Provincial Offences Act. The penalties that may be imposed Copyright: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2004 nA Printedonrecycledpaper PIBs 4888e
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