Often called housekeeping or janitorial services, Environmental Services provide mission-critical work to ensure healthcare facilities are safe places for patients and staff. They are the people that prevent bacteria, viruses and fungi from spreading by cleaning and disinfecting medical equipment and patient rooms.
These professionals also help businesses navigate and comply with environmental laws and regulations. Read on to learn more about the importance of this service industry. Click Tampa Environmental Services to learn more
Ecosystem services are the direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being in terms of security, goods and materials, health, and spiritual contentment. They are categorised as provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services and include environmental aspects that people use directly or indirectly like more food, water or timber; and those that do not benefit humans directly but are necessary for our survival and well-being such as nutrient cycling. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with biodiversity services and the concept of natural capital, but it is important to recognise that the benefits derived from nature are more than just a resource or raw material and are in fact an integral part of our quality of life.
Using indicators to assess environmental services is an important step in the process of understanding and quantifying their importance. This is particularly the case for providing services, such as water or biodiversity, which are difficult to measure in monetary terms. Often the most appropriate indicators are available from existing data sources, such as agriculture and forestry statistical databases or inventories, biodiversity monitoring maps, or market transactions.
The use of indicators must be balanced with the need to consider the impact of drivers and societal values on the ratings. This will allow for the consideration of the conflict between economic gain and the preservation of natural resources. For example, if a local dive operator wants to increase recreational activities, the rating may be affected by the impact on natural resource qualities that will reduce water clarity or reef health.
As well as providing ecosystem services, environmental service companies also provide environmental management and compliance. This can include monitoring environmental health, ensuring regulatory compliance, and assisting with the development of sustainable operations.
In addition, these services can assist with the conservation of natural resources by reducing their consumption and waste. This can be through the implementation of water efficiencies, energy efficiency, or other sustainability measures. It can also be achieved through the provision of financial incentives to encourage environmental protection, known as payments for ecosystem services (PES). This is a wide range of financing arrangements that involve paying those who use ecosystem services to protect them.
Waste Management
In industries such as construction, manufacturing and oil refining, waste generation is unavoidable. However, these businesses can reduce their environmental impact by implementing effective protocols for handling waste materials. This helps them satisfy customer expectations, improve employee satisfaction and meet industry regulations. An effective waste management program requires a thorough records examination, a facility walk-through and the establishment of waste-reduction goals.
Environmental services companies offer a wide range of solutions, including recycling, disposal and waste minimization. The industry is advancing towards more eco-friendly practices, with more firms promoting the reuse of materials rather than simply disposing of them. This trend reflects the increased emphasis on environmental services by clients, which is being driven by a greater awareness of the impact of human activities on the environment.
The environmental services industry includes a broad set of activities, with some of the most popular sectors being wastewater treatment, groundwater protection, air pollution control, noise abatement and the remediation of contaminated sites. The industry encompasses both infrastructure services, such as sewage, refuse disposal and sanitation, and “non-infrastructure” services, such as cleaning exhaust gases and nature and landscape conservation.
Providing environmental services can lead to career opportunities in a variety of fields. Professionals in this field often hold positions such as business managers, distribution managers, production managers, accountants and compliance officers. Others are employed as front-line technicians in a number of industries, including health care and waste management. Health care environmental services professionals, for example, need a strong background in infection prevention, basic microbiology and evidence-based cleaning and disinfection practice to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of diseases such as Clostridium difficile, Ebola and influenza.
In addition to these core competencies, a health care environment service worker must be able to handle multiple waste streams and ensure that all equipment is sanitized properly. These workers are also responsible for managing the logistics of waste disposal and processing. They must be able to schedule pickups and deliveries, handle hazardous materials and work in close collaboration with other departments, including finance and supply chain.
When conducting a waste assessment, it is important to consider the types and amounts of material your facility produces. To get a comprehensive overview of your waste streams, conduct a facility walk-through and observe the daily activities in departments that produce waste materials. Record the variety of materials, amounts of waste and any existing efforts toward waste reduction. The data collected should be substantial enough to give you a clear picture of the waste your facility produces over an extended time period.
Regulatory Compliance
Regulatory compliance involves following guidelines that protect the environment. These rules can include anything from proper storage of chemicals to reporting waste material that is disposed offsite. Environmental compliance services help businesses stay within the bounds of these regulations. Without them, companies could face fines or damage their reputation. Choosing an experienced firm that has a wide range of expertise in the field is important to ensure a smooth process. Look for a firm that has a dedicated team of environmental engineers, scientists, geologists, construction professionals, and other related specialists.
EPA audits are routine reviews of records and data that a business maintains or submits to the EPA or its state program. The EPA uses these audits to gauge a company’s compliance with environmental laws and regulations. During an audit, the EPA may request specific documents or conduct on-site observations and inspections. An audit may also cover a single activity or multiple activities at the site.
Environmental Services International (ESI) assists with obtaining the necessary permits required for various projects. This includes performing environmental screenings to identify if a more in-depth environmental assessment is needed. It also assists with environmental permitting and licensing. ESI’s team of specialists guide clients through consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service when project activities may result in take of protected species. This can involve preparing a Habitat Conservation Plan or Biological Opinion, depending on the project’s needs.
Workplace safety is another crucial aspect of environmental services. This includes ensuring employees follow safety protocols and providing training. It can also encompass hazard assessments, risk assessments, and compliance auditing. Using these services can help a business avoid the consequences of noncompliance with workplace safety stipulations, such as worker injuries or deaths, and reduce its liability risks.
World Environmental prides itself on offering environmental services that are tailored to each client’s needs and goals. Their client-centric approach focuses on building a strong relationship, resulting in transparency and more effective problem-solving. Their team of experts has extensive experience in regulatory compliance, ecological consulting, waste management, and environmental stewardship.
Public Perception
Environmental services help businesses improve public perception of their industry and reduce a negative public image that results from poor service and waste management. These services also allow businesses to maintain their natural assets, which are often worth more on the market when they’re in good condition. Ultimately, these services help businesses save money and boost morale by protecting workers’ health.
In addition, hospitals rely on environmental services professionals to clean clinical spaces and non-clinical areas that can contain infectious pathogens. These cleanings are essential to ensuring that patients are treated in safe, clean environments. They also play a critical role in patient satisfaction and outcomes. As more people become aware of the impact that the environment has on their physical and mental well-being, these jobs are likely to grow in demand.
In a bid to promote trade in environmental services, the WTO’s members are engaged in plurilateral negotiations on a wide range of different environmental service sub-sectors. These include sewage, refuse disposal and sanitation as well as “non-infrastructure” services such as air pollution prevention, noise abatement and the remediation of contaminated sites. During these negotiations, the level of commitments made by members in the various modalities of environmental services remains modest. These negotiations are conducted in parallel with the multilateral negotiations on trade in services under the Doha Declaration, which is designed to promote trade in both goods and services through facilitative procedures.