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An environmental aspect is defined in Clause 3.3 as an "element of an organization's activities, products and services, which can interact with the environment." A note to the definition adds that "a significant environmental aspect is an environmental aspect that has or can have a significant environmental impact." In Clause 4.2.1, the specification standard requires the organization to establish and maintain an up-to-date procedure to identify the environmental aspects of its products, services and activities. The standard limits this to those aspects that the organization "... can control and over which it can be expected to have an influence, in order to determine those which have or can have significant impacts on the environment. The organization shall ensure that these aspects are considered in setting its environmental objectives."
One way to focus on aspects is to work back from regulatory and legal requirements or legal and business exposure that affects the organization's activities. Government regulations already affect the key environmental aspects of industrial activity. Another way, as mentioned in the ISO 14004 guidance document, is to focus on products and services that create any change, either positive or negative, to the environment. Choices would include activities that result in air emissions, water releases, contamination of land, solid waste, or any use of raw materials and other natural resources. Companies could also look at the results of any environmental risk assessments, any information, if available, about previous environmental incidents, and all existing environmental management practices.
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