Environmental Services
Environmental Permit Applications
Ecobio provides companies required to apply for environmental permits assistance in drawing up environmental permit applications. We support customers in their negotiations with environmental authorities and provide assistance for meeting the demands placed ib companies in the environmental permit.
Our environmental permit service includes the following:
- assessment of environmental permit requirements
- assessment of environmental impacts
- environmental risk assessment
- assessment of best available technique
- control and reporting plans
- implementation and further studies
- authority reporting services.
Environmental Impact Assesment (EIA)
Ecobio provides environmental impact assessment in accordance with appöicable legal requirements. The service demands expert knowlege as well as the capacity to combine expertise from several different sectors.
We see EIA-process as a åart of the overall project. Our goal is that possible investigations are done at the right time and to appropriate extent. Being able to foresee the needs of atuhorities and other interest groups add to credibility of the project.
Our environmental impact assessment service includes the following:
- program for the EIA-process
- description of environmental impacts
- participation processes and information about the project
- project management
- special investigations.
Environmental Product Design (LCA, DfE)
Ecobio provides high-class expert services for the assessment of the environmental impact of products as well as for design for environment (DfE). We have carried out several life cycle assessments(LCA). Within our projects we make use of the best technical tools as well as international standards. Our services include everything from planning to marketing in the form of environmental labeling.
Our product planning service includes the following:
- life cycle assessment (LCA)
- mathematical models for the carbon balance of products
- environmental labeling
- background information gathering and applications for environmental labels
- critical evaluation of environmental labels (ISO 14040)
- programs for sustainable building and living.
Follow-up on Environmental Legislation
Ecobio provides companies services regarding follow-up environmental legislation as well as legislation with occupational health and safety. The service is always company-specific and allows our customers to take changes in legislation into account at ana early stage. The service fills the ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 requirements for follow-up on legislation.
The service includes the following:
- follow-up on environmental legislation
- follow-up on occupational health and safety legislation
- compliance audits
- training.
Ecobio provides efficient development of the management sysytems of companies. We can guarantee that companies making use of our services are granted certificates. Our expert consultants provide support for the company's project managers and make sure that the resources are used efficiently. Ecobio provides efficient models and practices for the implementation of the management system at all levels of the company.
The expert service for an environmental management system is based on the ISO 14001 standard as well as on applicable environmental legislation. Ecobio also provides services for establishing a management sysytem according to the principles of OHSAS 18001.
Our product planning service includes the following:
- assessment of existing management system(and comparison to ISO/OHSAS specifications)
- project planning
- planning of management system
- training
- development training within different units of the company
- company specific training material
- brochures.
Ecobio also provides small and medium-sized companies development of environmental management systems. A scaled-down environmental management system includes the basic parts of the ISO 14001 -model. The service includes principles for establishing environmental objectives, setting up of vital processes, procedures for follow-up of results and assessment of the management system.
Executive Management Consulting
Ecobio provides environmental consulting for the executive management of companies. Environmental issues and risk management are becoming an important part of business strategies and business management. Our experts help make environmental issues a part of the everyday management and leadership.
Our services include the following:
- environmental strategies
- environmental assessments
- environmental policy
- environmental programs and objectives
- environmental indicators
- environmental communication
- environmental reporting
- assessment of organizational environmental knowlege and resource recommendations
- training of the executive board.
Environmental Due Diligence (EDD)
Ecobio provides companies with environmental risk and responsibility assessments in connection with company or site acquisitions.
The service includes the following:
- environmental due diligence -assessments (EDD)
- assessment of environmental risks
- assessment of explosions risk (ATEX)
- cause and effect -analyses.
Ecobio provides continuous environmental manager services for companies the want to make a comprehensive and far-reaching use of environmental professionals. The benefits of the service to the customer include professional management of environmental issues, need-based resourcing of environmental manager's task and, if required, additional resources. Ecobio's experts, who serve as environmental managers, have master's degrees in environmental engineering and have a variety of experience as environmental experts with many companies.
Ecobio provides their customers with expertise to incorporate changes caused by climate change into their business operations. We also assist in finding development objects that are the best from a climatelogical point of view in improving energy efficiency. If required, we use high-level carbon balance calculations, which also take carbon sinks into account.
The service includes the following:
- carbon balance modeling and impact calculations
- climate-change impact auditing and studies
- company-specific climate programs
- company-specific impact assessments of the Kyoto agreement and emissions trading
- emissions trading permits
- energy audits
- energy certificates for buildings
- consultation and calculation services for emissions reduction projects under
the Kyoto Protocol (JI and CDM) - impact assessments of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and management of
risks involved in transition to a low-carbon economy.
Ecobio provides expert services for water pollution control and water resource use, which involved a wealth of legislated obligations. Ecobio specializes in the assessment of the environmental impacts of hydraulic engineering and its has been successful in demanding construction projects.
The service includes the following:
- permits and rejoinders under the Waters Act and the Environmental Protection Act
- assessments of impact on water resources economy and fishing industry
- planning of water resources management and restoration
- assessments of impact on sediments, hydrobiology and water chemistry
- studies on environmental impact of groundwater intake
- water privilege studies
- flood control planning
- flow modeling of watercourses
- water quality modeling
- storm water studies
- discharge calculations for regulated watercourses
- planning of monitoring programs.
Ecobio provides expert services for waste management planning and material efficiency, which our customers can use to reduce waste generation, waste-related costs and responsibilities and to improve their waste management performance. Our service includes studies aimed at material efficiency as well as development training and waste management planning for waste generators.
Waste management planning can be used to
- fulfill obligations prescribed by waste management legislation and regulations
- increase awareness of wastes
- make waste management cleaner and workable
- optimize operating and investment costs
- consider waste management requirements in time, especially in connection with construction projects.
The waste management planning service includes the following:
- waste management auditing
- waste management planning from the point of generation to disposal
- optimization of waste management systems
- waste management training and educational materials
- environmental permit application for waste management
- competitive bidding for waste management
- utilization studies of by-products and wastes
- strategic studies of waste management
- special disposal studies
- training.
We also give support to the implementation and monitoring of plans. We use technical planning methods specifically developed for waste management.
The material efficiency service includes the following:
- material efficiency auditing
- material-flow analysis
- special material-efficiency studies
- recycling and utilization studies
- training.
Ecobio provides expert services related to the handling of chemical substances. REACH is the new European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. REACH came into force on 1st June 2007. According to REACH, manufacturers or importers of chemical substances are required to register them with the central European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), located in Helsinki. The amount of substance data needed for the registration depends on the amount of substance manufactured or supplied. Registration is required for all substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 tonne per year or more. If you do not register, you will no longer be able to manufacture or supply them legally, i.e. no registration, no market!
It is the duty of the importer to register substances. Thus, companies from outside the EU cannot register substances themselves. However, companies exporting to the EU can appoint an Only Representative (a legal entity located within the EU) to handle the registration process. Should they do so, the registration burden will fall on the Only Representative and the importers will become downstream users. For manufacturers outside the EU, appointing an Only Representative is a way of ensuring that importers in the EU will not switch to chemical suppliers within the EU, just in order to escape the registration burden.
Ecobio provides companies expert guidance and consultation on how to fulfil REACH requirements. We help companies to recognize their roles and obligations and provide assistance on what measures to take, and when. Ecobio assists companies with the practical aspects of REACH, such as compiling chemical inventories, gathering data for the registration package, assisting with pre-registration (through REACH-IT), etc. Ecobio also provides strategic business consultation on the impact of REACH on your company's business (cost factors, business opportunities, the impact of CMR substances on product image, substance availability in the future, etc.). Ecobio provides services for companies both within and outside the European Union.
Ecobio's experts have master's degrees in chemical and environmental engineering. Our strength lies in combining environmental and chemical expertise. Our experts have been trained to use the IUCLID 5 (International Uniform Chemicals Information Database) software application. IUCLID 5 is an essential IT tool for industry to comply with REACH requirements. IUCLID 5 is used, together with REACH-IT, for submitting registration data to the European Chemicals Agency.
Our REACH services include:
- REACH impact assessment
- strategic planning and recommendations: best practices and REACH responsibilities within the organization
- chemical substance inventories and preparing for pre-registration
- pre-registration (through REACH-IT)
- managing chemical substance data and entering of data (through IUCLID 5)
- third party representative services
- information in the supply chain (handling inquiries, safety data sheets)
- preparation and submissions of registration dossiers
- assistance in obtaining of special services(such as toxicity and eco-toxicity testing services)
- REACH training and workshops
- REACH for executive managers(costs, cost savers, business opportunities).
Our chemical substance handling services include:
- improvement of chemical handling within companies: harmonisation and optimisation of procedures, minimum information requirements and optimised data handling
- updating and maintaining of chemical investories
- consultation regarding the safe handling and storage of chemicals.
Ecobio provides expert services for soil conservation and remediation. The service is meant for the prevention of property owners' soil liabilities, mapping and assessment of current liabilities, and planning of contaminated soil remediation projects.
Soil concervation expert services can be used to
- identify and prevent the risk of environmental damage
- fulfill obligations prescribed by environmental legislation and regulations
- map soil risks and obligations of a stock of real estate and lots
- manage a restoration project professionally
- optimized restoration costs from the viewpoint of a property owner
The planning of contaminated soil restoration includes
- background studies
- planning of investigations and analysis of results
- contamination studies
- risk assessment
- planning of remediation
- coordination of and competitive bidding for the implementation of remediation.
Ecobio provides expert services for studies of current landscape conditions to be used as a basis for zoning and in environmental impact assessment projects. Landscape planning is used to protect valuable nature and culture areas from other land uses and, on the other hand, to direct every form of land use to a place that is best suited to it from the viewpoint of landscape. An attempt will be made to design changes in such a way that they do not exceed the receptivity of the landscape, its ecological and visual tolerance.
The service includes the following:
- landscape analysis and study
- Natura studies
- landscaping plans.
Ecobio provides odor studies for the assessment of environmental impacts and for environmental permits. Odor is a local hazard and difficult to study.
The service includes the following:
- planning and implementation of odor studies
- odor dispersion modeling.
Ecobio provides noise studies for the assessment of environmental impacts and for environmental permits. Noise is an increasing environmental hazard and its control is attracting more and more attention.
The service includes the following:
- noise modeling
- noise abatement plans
- consultation related ambient noise control.
Ecobio provides particle studies for the assessment of environmental impacts and for environmental permits. Particles constitute a major health hazard and there is an increasing need to study them in connection with zoning and infrastructure projects.
The service includes the following:
- preliminary planning for particle measurements
- particle dispersion modeling.
