5 Steps to Prepare for Annual Environmental Reporting
Environmental Reporting Can Be Easy
Since most of your required environmental reporting is done for the year it’s easy to neglect until next year rolls around. Make it easier on yourself by keeping up with the records and filing systems throughout the year. By incorporating good recordkeeping and filing practices into your daily or weekly routine, it can save you a lot of time and headaches when environmental reports are due.
Here are some helpful tips to minimize your stress:
- Develop a plan for which records need to be kept and where they need to be filed for easy access next year (i.e. manifests, purchase records, emissions tests, sample results, etc.)
- If possible, create electronic files, databases or spreadsheets to assist with data collection and calculations
- Try to keep these files updated regularly. The frequency may depend on your requirements. Some air permit records may require daily or hourly reporting whereas other areas may only need to be updated weekly. Know your requirements and update data often so you don’t fall behind and put an unnecessary burden on yourself later.
- Know what vendors or disposal companies you usually need to contact each year for records and keep those emails and phone numbers handy. Contact them early enough so that they have enough time to meet your reporting deadlines.
- Look into having an environmental professional/consultant help with the environmental reporting itself. You will still have to provide all the data and records to the consultant, but they work with the regulatory agency’s software and portals more regularly and can save you the headache of navigating the data entry into the compliance databases.
Turn-Key Environmental Consultants can help you with your environmental reporting.
