AS/NZS 5377:2013

AS/NZS 5377 is the Australian Standard for the collection, storage, transport and treatment of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment.

It is a management system standard developed by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and the New Zealand Ministry of Environment in early 2013. The standard was developed to provide a uniform approach management of e-waste activities, mostly around safety and environmental concerns.

Recyclers must cater to four discrete activities in the e-waste industry, reflected in sections 2-5 of AS/NZS 5377. These are:

• Requirements for collection and storage facilities–Section 2
• Recovery for reuse from end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment – Section 3
• Requirements for transportation – Section 4
• Requirements for the treatment of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment – Section 5.

The benefits of this standard are:

• Provides a framework for organizations to implement an effective e-waste management system.
• Reduces the hazards associated with e-waste management and provides assurance that regulatory requirements are being met.
• Promotes e-waste management best practice and reinforces good e-waste management behaviours.

ISO 14001:2015

ISO 14001 Environmental Management System is the international standard for environmental management systems.

Effective environmental management minimizes impacts on the environment, assists in meeting legal obligations and licensing conditions and leads to an improved environmental performance.

Environmental Management system certification under ISO 14001 demonstrates that there is management commitment to reducing environmental harm and ensuring legal compliance.

The benefits of this standard are:

• Reducing costs by reducing waste and associated disposal costs
• Reducing energy use
• Reduced cost from minimizing incidents and associated rectification costs
• The potential for surprises is minimized through a regular and systematic review of environmental performance;
• Reduced costs from savings operational efficiency and, if relevant, reduction in use of hazardous materials and generation of hazardous wastes
• Effective and efficient communication about environmental issues inside and outside the organization
• Highlighting that environmental performance is an important part of the corporate culture and improved community perception.

Probably the biggest benefit of developing and effectively implementing an environmental management system is the benefit to the environment – through reduced pollution, improved efficiencies, reduced waste and improved overall awareness.

OHSAS 18001:2007

OHSAS 18001 is the international standard for Safety Management Systems.

This standard commits to the prevention of injury and ill health within the described scope of the management system.

OHSAS 18001 clearly defines the roles of evaluation and compliance, incident investigation, nonconformity, corrective and preventive action, and management review.

The benefits of this standard are:

• Ensures an effective OHS policy and objectives
• Reduces workplace injuries
• Provides a process to identify hazards and manage safety risks
• Demonstrate commitment to safety