Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to develop and implement environmental management strategies. The unit covers defining the strategic scope, planning development processes, assessing environment assets, problems and opportunities, and implementing and evaluating environmental management strategies that incorporate improvements.
The unit supports those who work in a management role within a waste management environment.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Define scope of environmental management strategy. | 1.1. | Needs and expectations of environmental management strategy are identified according to organisational and compliance requirements. |
1.2. | Constraints under which environmental strategy can be developed are identified according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
1.3. | Environmental objectives are documented and feasibility of | ||
2. | Plan development process for environmental management strategy. | 2.1. | Process models applicable to scope of environmental management strategy are identified. |
2.2. | Process models are assessed and a suitable model for achieving identified objectives is selected. | ||
2.3. | Resource requirements are identified and financial budget is prepared according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
2.4. | Principal stakeholders are identified and consulted to gain their participation in development process according to organisational requirements. | ||
3. | Assess environmental assets, problems and opportunities. | 3.1. | Existing environmental management data is collated, and required further data is identified and obtained according to objectives and organisational requirements. |
3.2. | Available data is assessed against established criteria and community expectations according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
3.3. | Common problems and opportunities are grouped to formulate environmental issues that can be actioned according to objectives and organisational requirements. | ||
3.4. | Criteria to prioritise environmental issues are established according to objectives and organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
4. | Prepare environmental management strategy. | 4.1. | Practical actions that enable a resolution of environmental issues in line with strategic objectives are identified. |
4.2. | Draft environmental management strategy is prepared and feedback from stakeholders is sought. | ||
4.3. | Stakeholder feedback is evaluated and a response is formed according to organisational requirements. | ||
4.4. | Local approval of the environmental management strategy is obtained according to organisational and compliance requirements. | ||
5. | Implement and evaluate environmental management strategy. | 5.1. | Practical actions that enable resolution of environmental issues in line with strategic objectives are identified according to organisational requirements. |
5.2. | Resources are allocated to match action priorities, and responsible parties are identified according to objectives and organisational requirements. | ||
5.3. | Implementation timelines, schedules and targets that enable strategic objectives to be met within required timeframes are actioned and monitored. | ||
5.4. | Data is collected and environmental management strategy performance is measured according to objectives and organisational requirements. | ||
5.5. | New strategies are developed based on evaluation findings according to organisational and compliance requirements. |
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must develop and implement two environmental management strategies.
For each, the person must:
identify clear and concise environmental management objectives:
evaluating the feasibility of environmental options, as stated in the range of conditions
use process models applicable to the scope of the environmental management strategy
confirm, through consultation, that principal stakeholders accept the proposed strategy
provide accurate and comprehensive details of resources and budget
use data relevant to the scope, and collecting additional data as required
prioritise environmental issues using suitable criteria
develop an environmental management strategy with:
practical actions that enable a resolution of environmental issues in line with strategic objectives
clear and concise documentation
prepare an implementation plan with:
prioritised actions to provide the most effective resolution of issues within available resources
responsible parties carrying appropriate work
action taken to make sure timeframes are met
monitoring, including data collection, and supervisory processes in place and actioned
monitor and review the effectiveness of the environmental management strategy using data collected, and make changes as required to improve the strategy
follow organisational policies and procedures and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
environmental issues relating to:
energy efficiency systems
lifecycle of products: reduce, reuse and recycle
renewable energy
hazards and risks associated with waste including hazardous substances and dangerous goods
features of an environmental management strategy, including:
site contract requirements
reclamation
training outline
work procedures
past and future reviews and audits relating to environmental management
recycling requirements
internal and external audits
monitoring personnel performance following training
quality control checks relating to environmental management
review of effectiveness of new procedures and processes
targets, such as:
carbon emissions reduction
cleaner production
lean management
recycling rates
waste minimisation
licensing requirements for waste management
organisational policies and procedures and regulatory and legal requirements relating to developing and implementing environmental management strategies
waste contaminants
waste disposal and recovery methods
waste non-conformances
waste processing plant types
waste processing techniques.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
computer and relevant software, as specified by organisational requirements
relationships with team members and supervisor:
working in a team.
Timeframe:
as specified by organisational requirements.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Numeracy skills to: | estimate and calculate costs when evaluating the feasibility of options. |
Oral communication skills to: | negotiate with stakeholders to facilitate agreement to the strategy. |
Reading skills to: | interpret technical information contained in process models and existing environmental management data. |
Writing skills to: | document clear and in-depth environmental strategies that include technical waste management vocabulary. |
Technology skills to: | use computers to source and use required materials and documentation. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Compliance requirements must include: | commonwealth, state and territory legislation relating to developing environmental management strategies, including: environmental protection hazardous substances and dangerous goods industry codes and standards work health and safety and duty of care licensing requirements. |
Feasibility of environmental management options must include: | commitment to environmental management strategies compliance with legislation cost-benefit analysis costs lead time process constraints resource requirements, including equipment and personnel resources available. |
Resource requirements | equipment needs facility needs financial resources human resources and skill requirements. |
Sectors
Waste management