Following Tamkang University’s successful application for ISO14001 environmental management system certification last year, the accrediting organization, SGS, is sending three auditors to Tamkang on Wednesday November 3; they will spend a whole day on campus examining the ways and results of environmental management at the University. President Flora C. I. Chang and the staff in charge will brief the auditors in B310.

The SGS auditors will study Tamkang’s environmental management policies, inspect the environmental management system, and visit laboratories, canteens, and the swimming pool. They will look into management of waste disposal, wastewater treatment, and the use and storage of chemicals. They will carry out some measurement and inspection according to environmental regulations; if any operation is found not up to the standard, the auditors will recommend methods for improvement.

Since last year’s ISO14001 certification and the establishment of the ISO14001 executive committee, the University has worked hard on environmental management. The four targets this year—cutting water use by 1%, non-increase of electricity use and that of waste, and recyclables sorting and management—have been partially achieved. Chief committee member and Vice-President for Administrative Affairs, Kao Po-yuan, calls for the cooperation of students and staff to reach the goals.

The ISO14001 Committee held this academic year’s first management examination meeting on October 20 to hear the working group report on four indicators of environmental management results. In terms of the amount of water use between January and September this year, Tamsui campus failed to meet the target in March, May, June and July, while Taipei campus in May and July. The working group said that separate water meters had been installed in all buildings in September to monitor the actual amount of water use.

In terms of use of electricity, Tamsui campus failed to meet the target only in June, whereas Taipei campus was only able to meet it in February and May. As to garbage, Tamsui campus found its volume increased between July and September, compared with last year. The sorting and management of recyclables is continuing, and there are recycling channels for each type of recyclables. Since January, the University has earned NT$21,837 from selling the recyclables.

The Dean of General Affairs, Hung Chin-jen, says saving water and electricity is perfectly simple, and calls on the staff and students to switch off the lights and air-conditioners after classes. Presently, there are water-saving faucets on some floors in the Engineering Building and the College of Education. Although there has not been any rationing of electricity or water this year, we should still be careful not to waste these resources.

The ISO14001 Committee conducted an internal audit in August, September and October, visiting the offices and laboratories around the campus, suggesting ways for improvement, and demanding immediate rectification of, for example, vague labeling on bottles of chemicals in laboratories. The Committee also asked the Construction and Repairs Section of the Office of General Affairs to draw up a plan of emergency procedures and to organize training sessions this month for the staff to learn the correct approaches to dealing with an emergency.

UPDATE： 2010/09/27 CLICKS： 1247 DOWNLOADS：