What to Expect When an Environmental Officer Inspects Your Facility: A brief guide for business owners, officials, and employees

2004·0.16 MB·English

by  Ontario Ministry of the Environment

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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
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