AFS & EPA Undertake ISO 14001 Pilot Project in Indiana.

As part of the Sustainable Industries Partnership Program, AFS and EPA officially launched the Indiana pilot program to assist foundries with the adoption of environmental management systems (EMS) and to prepare them for ISO 14001 certification. AFS and EPA have teamed with the Indiana Cast Metals Assn. (INCMA) and the Indiana Dept. of Environmental Management (IDEM) on this program, which will walk several Indiana foundries through the entire process for adopting an EMS, including preparation, evaluation, application and review. In the end, the participating facilities will be ready for 150 14001 certification if they choose to hire a registrar. The pilot program will facilitate the adoption of EMSs by the participating facilities and will provide the foundation for an industry-wide program. Using a group dynamic, the participating facilities will work cooperatively, sharing information, resources and products. In the end, EPA and AFS will use the lesso ns learned, including industry-specific examples and materials, to produce EMS adoption tools that are tailored to the foundry industry. To date, seven Indiana facilities have agreed to participate in the pilot program, with another facility that is already ISO 14001 certified acting as a mentor. EPA, INCMA, AFS and the facilities are contributing staff and technical resources to the effort. In addition, the participating foundries are each contributing financially in order to offset the total project costs.