The six characteristics of the “perfect” EHS application

 

Build your own EHS apps with Locus Platform

A configurable application-building platform lets you easily build and reconfigure apps that perfectly fit your business needs.

In the EHS&S industry, companies and organizations demand a unique set of needs from their software applications.

There are many software tools and applications available out there aimed to assist with any aspect of your company. Many buyers get stuck on the question of how to find the perfect app solution for their business needs, especially considering that these needs grow and evolve over time. They spend money and time researching the perfect app that fits their unique situation.

An unexpected solution to this dilemma lies in a configurable software platform— designed specifically to allow you to easily build and reconfigure apps that perfectly fit your business needs.

Developing custom applications on a cloud-based application development platform has a number of advantages that you should consider before deciding to buy an off-the-shelf application that happens to tick all the boxes on your features list. This solution delivers easily configurable, scalable, and well-integrated applications that will help you drive your productivity and success in the future.

 

Currency cost icon  Lower long-term costs

Custom app development on a platform means you can create a custom application that is specifically tailored to your company’s needs, as well as being focused on scalability and efficiency.

Off-the-shelf software may initially seem like the faster and cheaper option, but the lack of customization for day-to-day operations is ultimately inefficient (and often leads users to invent their own manual processes outside the software to compensate for the software’s inefficiencies).  As the application is used more often, even the smallest issues can grow exponentially, leading to costs that will far outweigh your initial savings on the off-the-shelf software.

 

Configure customize icon  Better productivity = higher ROI

Configurable custom applications that are specifically designed with your needs in mind will help your team work faster and smarter.  Well-integrated apps on a unified platform can yield major efficiency gains, since all the data is in one place and users do not have to switch between different applications or websites as part of their workflow.

Another added benefit comes from the interoperability of apps coexisting on the same platform, which can drastically reduce input requirements, as well as the need for multiple QA/QC processes.  Input once, use many times.

 

Speed fast icon  Save time, adapt faster

The ability of an organization to quickly shift technology strategies can mean the difference between dominance and obsolescence in many industries.  A configurable platform enables you to rapidly customize and deploy your application, with a fraction of the time and resources that would be required for an off-the-shelf application.

 

User Interface UI icon  Common UI, data and security model

Platform applications share the same user interface, security, and configuration-data model amongst all apps.  There is no need to manage data integration or sync issues.

Additionally, new software upgrades are easily deployed to a large number of users, so users will remain in a familiar interface across all apps.  These benefits support faster and easier deployment, as well as rapid user adoption— both of which are critical to success and a high ROI for any solution.

 

Integration icon  Built-in support for integration with other platforms

Advanced APIs (to support integration of third-party, enterprise, Internet of Things, or legacy applications not on the platform) are interoperable and will help maximize your team’s productivity.

Off-the-shelf software may not be compatible with other programs.  You may need one software product to read IoT data from sensors, another to launch an incident management workflow, and yet another to file a new SAP purchase order.  If the programs do not communicate effectively, they will hinder your work process.

A custom platform app can integrate with a wider set of APIs from different software and data partners, providing a seamless flow of information.

 

Mobile icon  Mobile capability

Mobile applications have become a significant extension of any web-based application.  A configurable app platform inherently supports an easy transition from a web app to a mobile app, without any extra development efforts.  This saves time, money, and resources needed to maintain the mobile app.  It also resolves any data integration or usability issues that integrating a third-party, custom mobile app could cause with your application.
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Still looking for the right EHS software to revolutionize your environmental and compliance initiatives?  Book a demo with us today!

 

Rehan Shah - Senior Software Engineer

About guest blogger— Rehan Shah, Locus Technologies

An avid programmer, Rehan Shah is passionate about programming and making the world a better place.  At Locus, Rehan gets the opportunity to combine both his passions, making his job much more fun and intriguing.

After graduating from Purdue with a degree in computer engineering, he spent the next 10 years working for industry leaders including HP, Oracle, and ServiceNow.  Now at Locus, he’s a senior software engineer in the Locus Platform dev team, an agile dev team lead and a self-proclaimed Chief Hackathon Officer.

How to choose the right EHS vendor (or, turning a minefield into a playground)

 

In today’s Internet-driven age, consumers are overwhelmed by an abundance of choices and information on every conceivable product on the marketplace.  The same is true for businesses looking to buy software solutions. Selecting an enterprise-wide EHS&S software solution can be a feat for any organization.

Whether you have been tasked to research vendors from the EHS shop window, or you are driving the data evolution in your business to move from spreadsheets (or worse – paper) to a 21st century-ready alternative— the task at hand can seem daunting and fraught with challenge.

Establishing a timeline and setting milestones along the way will help you break down your mission into manageable, bite-size chunks. Here are some helpful tips to find the right EHS vendor for you — and remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint!

 

Cartoon of EHS stakeholders considering a cloud EHS software solution

Different departments and stakeholders will have different goals– don’t forget to consider how the EHS software solution will help them, too.

Who are the stakeholders?

As the individual spearheading this project, you are not the only one with skin in the game, nor is this likely confined to your team. Multiple business units, divisions, and departments are not only going to have to use a new EHS software solution – they need to like doing so.

The different stakeholders also come with their own individual business goals, and they will be looking to the new EHS software solution to assist them.  Can you carefully engage different areas of your business to find the key drivers?

Even better – assign project leaders within business units to join your selection process, attending demos and providing critical feedback along the way. After all, more heads are better than one.

 

The nice-to-have’s vs. the need-to-have’s

Many of us in the EHS&S industry share similar passions, such as the desire to help reduce climate change and help businesses move to more environmentally-friendly ways of operating.

Sadly, this isn’t at the top of every company’s list of priorities.  But we can all agree that the most important and critical areas are compliance-driven.

Think about which local, state, and federal regulations you are bound by and must adhere to at all costs. It’s all well and good, having a software that can calculate CO2 emissions saved from a new “green” initiative.  But shouldn’t it also be smart enough to alert you when a permit is up for renewal?

Take time to compile a list of all areas you need to keep on top of.  The right software should be able to keep you one step ahead, not left scrambling around, collecting data from all of your sites to meet a certain deadline.

 

Who to engage? 

EHS conference attendees networking

Conferences such as those hosted by NAEM are a great place to network with other EHS professionals and ask your peers about their experience with specific software vendors.

Trying to select a shortlist of vendors to demo with is no easy feat, especially when an Internet search throws up 20 pages of results.  Fortunately, there are plenty of independent sources and conferences that exist specifically to help you in this endeavor.  The National Association of Environmental Managers (NAEM) is one example.  Networking with other EHS professionals can lead to recommendations and “been there, done that” advice on who the key players are.

It’s also important to remember that EHS vendors are not necessarily built for every terrain, and some specialize in different areas (i.e., health and safety, air emissions, waste management, etc.).  I have yet to come across two businesses with the exact same EHS needs and requirements, so remember to regard your own company as the unique entity that it is.

Once you have a feel for the vendors that are most suitable for your needs, you should start engaging sales professionals in initial 20-30 minute conversations on what you are trying to achieve, as well as finding out more from vendors on their potential suitability for your project.

 

EHS software demos are the easiest way to find out if the EHS software will meet your requirements

Before a demo, give the vendor as much detail about your unique requirements, business processes, and ultimate goals as you’re willing to share– this will help the vendor focus on the most relevant functionality for your needs.

Evaluating the market

Once you have a shortlist of worthy candidates, the next logical step is to schedule some demos.  I recommend a 60-90 minute demo to begin with – anything shorter is not worthwhile to get a full grasp on the software capabilities.

There seems to be two schools of thought regarding demos and how much information to provide to the vendor, prior to the big day.  Some companies like to keep their cards close to their chest and ask to see the “out-of-the-box” functionality.  Others choose to provide the vendor upfront with their detailed requirements, existing reports, and sample data, in order for the demo to focus specifically on what the customer is looking to solve.

I favor the latter approach, as it gives the vendor the opportunity to tailor the demo to the needs that are of most importance to the customer.  This helps both sides to focus the conversation on exactly how the software functionality will make the customer’s job easier.  Tell them what you want to achieve or what you’re struggling with, and let them do the work of showing you how their product will solve all your problems.  And quite frankly, if you are looking to catch out a vendor who doesn’t have everything you need, then the relationship is already off to a pretty bad start!

Longer sessions and “focus groups” can be arranged as a follow-up.  Second and third demos are par for the course in most selection processes.  These additional demos will give you a chance to whittle down the competition, plus give you the opportunity to reflect and to go back to the vendors with any additional questions, requirements, and clarifications.

 

Going steady

As you continue through the purchasing process, you will find yourself building bonds with the best vendors.  This working relationship is key to a lasting experience that assists your business in getting the “mission-critical” EHS work done.

EHS vendors collaborate with their customers

As your relationship with a vendor grows, you should start to see evidence of a cross-departmental team that is committed to your satisfaction and your business’s compliance success.

The best EHS vendors will have a healthy mix of subject matter experts, project managers, developers, and sales professionals – all dedicated to keeping your business compliant and happy enough to renew your subscription, year after year.

Pricing is obviously a concern for any customer, and it’s important that you fully understand what the vendor is going to charge you.  The last thing you want is to agree on a project and implementation process, only to be hit with a hefty bill once the software has been deployed – for what you felt was a minor change.

Useful questions to ask:

  • Is the software configurable?
  • How much support is available to me?
  • What happens when you upgrade to a new version?
  • How much data can I store on your platform?

Once you have settled on a vendor and are ready to embark on the implementation, the real fun begins.  Now you can start to reap the benefits of your carefully planned and executed selection process.

Good luck out there!

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Still looking for the right EHS software to revolutionize your environmental and compliance initiatives?  Book a demo with us today!

 

Remy Leaf - Sales Engineer at Locus Technologies

About guest blogger— Remy Leaf, Locus Technologies

Remy Leaf has worked in the EHS industry for 6 years, since graduating from the University of the West of England with a BSc in Environmental Management & Sustainability. His current role with Locus is Sales Engineer, working with new and prospective customers to identify their EHS targets.

Locus introduces visual rule configuration to Locus Platform SaaS

The new visual rule configuration leverages the latest web technologies. We designed it to efficiently perform tasks in the software configuration process – without any programming. This helps Locus Platform customers meet rapidly changing EHS&S software requirements at lower cost.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 18 October 2016 —

Locus Technologies (Locus), the leader in cloud-based environmental, sustainability, energy, and compliance management software, has once again expanded on the configurability of its cloud-based Locus Platform. Locus Platform is introducing new visual rule configuration, which allows users to conditionally change the behavior of fields within any form using a simple interface that requires no additional software code.

The system can be easily configured to make certain fields conditionally visible, editable, and required based on other information entered by the user. This makes data-dependent forms easy to construct for any application. This feature is available for all existing Locus Platform applications, as well as for customers building their own applications using the Platform’s configuration tools.

This new feature is pertinent to all EHS applications. System administrators are able to follow a simple setup wizard to create many kinds of dynamic input forms, such as collecting additional information if a user responds ‘no’ to an audit question, or displaying waste code options if a waste profile is categorized as hazardous. With visual rules, the these applications can now be reconfigured for any user without the need for any expensive software development.

With this functionality, Locus Platform emerges as a market leader in EHS&S rule management systems. The intuitive, graphical approach will make it popular with domain experts, as well as managers. EHS&S departments will be able to create and maintain business rules and to automate a wide variety of operational decisions specific to their organization, without needing any programming knowledge. Visual rule configuration reduces the time it takes to develop, implement, and update their applications, compared to traditional software.

“One of the great benefits of the Locus Platform has always been its configurability. Businesses don’t need to modify their practices and policies to fit an off-the-shelf EHS&S solution with predefined forms, features, and rules. Rather, the solution can be configured to their existing practices – without the need to ask a vendor to do it for them. And with the new visual rules feature, that configuration is easier than ever,” said Wes Hawthorne, President of Locus.

“Keeping the end users’ perspective in mind, we’ve packed the same 20-plus years of domain expertise that Locus has been offering into a highly configurable and scalable new software platform, built from the ground up using the latest web technologies,” remarked Neno Duplan, CEO of Locus.

Historic binding agreement reached to cut greenhouse gasses from HFC

There are roughly 1.6 billion new air conditioning units expected to come on stream by 2050, reflecting increased demand from Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

On 15 October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda nearly 200 nations have agreed a legally binding agreement to cut back on greenhouse gasses used in refrigerators and air conditioners, a significant move against climate change.
The International deal would require countries to phase out greenhouse gasses called hydrofluorocarbons beginning in 2019.

Under the agreement, developed nations, including much of Europe, the United States, China, and India commit to reducing their use of the gasses incrementally, starting with a 10 percent cut by 2019 with the goal of an 80% reduction globally by 2047. But many wealthier nations and companies have already begun to reduce their use of HFCs.

A parallel deal was struck last year in Paris to slow the growth of carbon emissions, the most prevalent greenhouse gas emitted by the burning of fossil fuels. That deal entered into force earlier this month. But unlike the Paris agreement, the Kigali deal is legally binding, has very specific timetables and has an agreement by developed economies to help emerging countries adapt their technology.

The HFC agreement comes in the form of an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty undertaken nearly 30 years ago to protect the Earth’s ozone layer.

According to the Wall Steet Journal article, Chemours Co., a publicly traded chemicals company spun off from DuPont Co. last year (and Locus Technologies customer), said that it was introducing a new line of gasses to help replace HFCs for some industrial-scale refrigeration and air-cooling systems.

The deal is the latest installment in the US administration’s efforts to curb the global greenhouse-gas emissions that scientists say are warming the planet with harmful consequences. Earlier this month, countries also agreed to limit carbon emissions from global aviation for the first time ( http://locustec.com/blog/epa-plans-regulate-carbon-emissions-aircraft/ ).

HFCs account for about 1% of global greenhouse-gas emissions and 1.5% of all U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. But they are considered one of the fastest-growing greenhouses gasses in the world. The agency predicts HFC emissions could increase up to 15% a year globally if they aren’t limited.

As a greenhouse gas, HFCs are more potent than carbon dioxide. Their heat-trapping capacity can be hundreds or thousands of times that of carbon dioxide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Plus, some HFCs can stay in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, according to a 2007 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As a result, even small amounts can have profound, long-lasting effects on the environment.

HFCs belong to a family of compounds known as fluorinated gasses. Such substances don’t exist in nature; they are entirely man-made, according to the EPA. After the Montreal Protocol, HFCs were developed to replace another class of fluorinated compounds, known as chlorofluorocarbons, because these were depleting the ozone layer.

One of the industry challenges will be to track, organize, and report on avalanches of data stemming from the binding HFC compliance requirements. SaaS like Locus Platform is ready for the challenge.

Aviation industry agrees to cap CO2 emissions, other transportation industries to follow

The first deal limiting greenhouse gasses from international aviation has been sealed after years of negotiations. Carbon emissions from international aviation will be capped under a global agreement to limit the impact of commercial flights on the climate. The deal launches a voluntary compliance system from 2021 that would become mandatory in 2027. Airlines spent about $181 billion on fuel last year, and this deal would add between $5 and $24 billion in additional costs, depending on the price of carbon at the time. The aviation carbon cuts were agreed in Montreal by national representatives at the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO.

The deal comes in a critical week for climate policy when the Paris agreement to stabilize climate change passed a key threshold for becoming law. International aviation is responsible for putting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year than the whole of the Germany or the UK. And until now, there has been no global consensus on how to address aviation emissions.

CO2 will be allowed to grow to 2020, but after that, emissions will need to be offset. The deal will be voluntary to 2026, but most major nations are expected to take part. Airlines that pollute more than the prescribed level after 2020 would have to purchase carbon-offsetting credits.

The offsetting proposal is especially controversial. Airlines are striving to make planes more efficient, but the industry can’t innovate fast enough to contain its dynamic growth.

That led to the proposal for offsetting – but sometimes offsetting by planting trees is not enough and is prone to double-counting.

One way to offset emissions, besides planting trees, is using trees’ and other plants spoils to make sustainable fuels. The effort to use sustainable fuels has already started, and manufacturers and airlines support of alternative fuels is high.

To that end, the US biofuels leader, Amyris, Inc is developing an alternative aviation jet fuel made with a sustainably-sourced hydrocarbon using Amyris’s proprietary synthetic biology platform. It is one of the most promising developments in aviation fuels in decades.

Amyris’ jet fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared with petroleum fuels, when compared unmixed to petroleum fuels on a one-to-one basis, according to Amyris.

Attempts have been made for nearly two decades to include aviation and shipping in the UN’s climate agreements, but both sectors have managed to avoid firm targets.

US EPA earlier this year issued a final scientific assessment that concluded that carbon emissions from aircraft endanger public health and welfare, a legal prerequisite the agency must take before regulating those emissions in the US. It is widely expected that EPA will introduce its set of rules for regulating domestic aircraft emissions in the US. Domestic aviation represents about 40% of total carbon-dioxide output from commercial flights.

Environmental groups said they hope the action to curb airline emissions will spur a similar cap on maritime CO2 production. Maritime emissions aren’t covered by the Paris climate deal even though the industry is considered a major carbon emitter.

All these emissions trackings must be managed and verified and will require companies to install scalable and intelligent database systems like Locus SaaS-based EIM and Locus Platform that already help many companies comply with various emission laws and regulations around the world.

Grain Processing Corporation streamlines Clean Air Act Title V reporting using Locus Platform

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 20 September 2016 — Locus Technologies (Locus), a leading provider of real world software solutions to streamline EHS regulation and compliance management, has recently issued a new case study for an implementation of the Locus Platform for Clean Air Act Title V recordkeeping.

Keeping track of environmental compliance can be difficult and requires high levels of organization. Locus’ products help companies manage their environmental compliance and move forward with their tasks. One of Locus’ customers, Grain Processing Corporation (GPC), utilized Locus Platform to manage their environmental compliance needs and improve their work processes.

“Our recent successes in deploying our software solutions to customers in food and agricultural industries proves its versatile nature. GPC needed a data management system for their Title V monitoring that was tailored to their specific business practices. The Locus Platform allows for full configurability of its data collection tools, workflows, and outputs. By using these tools, the software solution fits the business, not the other way around.” said J. Wesley Hawthorne, President of Locus Technologies. “This ultimately leads to quicker adoption, reduced costs, and consensus among all the software users.”

The case study examines GPC’s use of Locus Platform to streamline their environmental compliance challenges, how they used Locus as a solution to their needs, and the results of using Locus Platform to streamline their compliance process. Follow the link to the case study on our website.

https://www.locustec.com/case-study/gpc-streamlines-clean-air-act-title-v-record-keeping-using-locus-platform/

ABOUT GRAIN PROCESSING CORPORATION

Founded in 1943, GPC is a privately owned company with a solid history of innovation and a vision for continued success in the future. Its mission is to manufacture, distribute and market customer-specified food, pharmaceutical and industrial-grade products of uncompromising quality. GPC’s substantial investment in the finest people, facilities, technology and customer support services reflects the seriousness of that commitment to quality.

Configurable software solutions—Change is good, right?

 

Modern software technology and design has enabled an unprecedented amount of creation and innovation by managers, subject matter experts, and technical staff.

Before, if you wanted a new custom facility environmental audit form, you had to create a set of specifications, outline all functionality, and engage software developers to create the application (or just do it all on paper).  This approach could take months to develop, test, debug, and rework.  With the tools we have now, this kind of custom job can be done within a day, complete with mobile-enabled forms.  It’s amazing how modern technology is such a huge time and cost saver.  But it also introduces a new list of challenges that have to be considered when taking ownership of a configurable software solution.

You need to know what you want.

While we now have easy-to-use tools for creating applications, you still need to define what you want to get out of the application you’re making.  When you buy pre-configured software, you adapt your process to fit the constraints of the system you just bought. When you buy configurable software, you’re able to create the exact workflow that you need, but you have to first develop a complete understanding of what your needs actually are. With flexible tools, it’s easy to try out different configurations with your team members.  However, it’s a challenge to have your team on the same page about what configuration will benefit the entire range of users or departments.

Just because you can make easy and fast changes, doesn’t mean you should.

Typically, you have to wait until a vendor updates the software and hope they address any changes you were hoping for.  With configurable software, you or the vendor can make those changes anytime.

However, if you’re making these kinds of changes on your own, without proper management and communication, there is a very good chance you will create usability issues for other users in your community. Even the simplest management system for changes will make everyone’s life easier. For example, you can categorize potential changes by their urgency. The urgent changes can be notified to users immediately (as soon as they are made), and the non-urgent changes can be scheduled for later. Establishing any kind of management and communication system can help you keep your team up to date with software changes.

You are not in this alone.

Configurable software, with its endless possibilities, may seem daunting.  But you don’t have to be overwhelmed with options— there are plenty of people who would love to help you:

  • The software vendor can be your configuration partner and do the work at your direction. You get real-time updates to ensure the configuration keeps heading in the right direction toward fulfilling your needs— and you can spend your time focusing on your business, rather than configuring the software.
  • Your consultants can configure for you. It’s very likely that you have great, trusted relationships with the consulting community, who already know you and have developed some understanding of your business needs.  These resources can help to ensure you get the perfect solution.
  • Your staff likely has people that would love to configure and would jump at the chance to develop an effective solution that benefits the department and the organization as a whole. They are easy to spot— they spend time in Excel and write macros for fun.
Bottom line: Plan, prioritize, partner.

Configurable software can open up a world of options and often prove to be a great choice for many customers.  But it’s important that you understand the process— including all the advantages and challenges that come with it. Decide how you want to manage the configuration and reach out to trusted people. With some preparation and an invested team, you will have no problem navigating the exciting waters that technology has made possible.

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Still looking for the right EHS software to revolutionize your environmental and compliance initiatives?  Book a demo with us today!

 

Marian Carr

About guest blogger— Marian Carr, Locus Technologies

Ms. Carr is responsible for managing overall customer solution deployments and customer relationships with Locus’ government accounts. Her career at Locus includes heading the product development team of the award-winning cloud-based environmental ePortal solution as well as maintaining and growing key customer accounts with Locus’ Fortune 100 enterprise deployments. In addition, Ms. Carr was instrumental in driving the growth and adoption of the Locus EIM platform with key federal and water organizations.

Locus Technologies creates IoT interoperability with Locus Platform

Locus helps customers leverage data, analytical, cloud, and mobile capabilities via IoT-to-Locus SaaS platform

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., 9 August 2016 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in cloud-based EHS software, announced today that its multi-tenant SaaS Platform fully interoperates with the Internet of Things (IoT). The company has been the pioneering innovator in the EHS software space since 1999 when it first introduced its Automation and Data Management Groups, which used Internet-based technologies to manage and control vast amounts of data generated at the company’s customer sites.

Locus’ automation technologies have evolved over the years to encompass the vast array of Internet-connected devices, sensors, programmable logic controllers, and other instruments to gather and organize large amounts of streaming data.

The IoT interconnects uniquely identifiable embedded computing, testing, and monitoring devices within the existing Internet infrastructure and software platform. Locus IoT services offer connectivity beyond machine-to-machine communications and cover a variety of protocols, domains, and applications.

“The IoT is one of the fastest-growing trends in tech. When applied to the environmental monitoring industry, there is an overwhelming influx of information that has to be dealt with; many companies are concerned that the sheer volume of data will render the information useless. For that reason, Locus invested in smart software and intelligent databases to deal with this new trend, long before IoT had a common name. We aspire to change the face of the environmental monitoring industry,” said Neno Duplan, CEO of Locus.

In any industry, when all incoming data are connected and centrally accessible through a multi-tenant SaaS application, the flow of information is much more efficient and effective. For example, instead of having a separate data collection protocol from software applications for water quality management, waste management, GHG management, EHS compliance and incident management, a company can have all emissions-related records—regardless of whether they originated in the laboratory, field, or Internet-connected monitoring device—in a single system of record. From this single system of record, they can manage compliance activities, perform data gathering and monitoring, manage water treatment systems remotely, and manage resources for sustainability reporting at the same time. Adopting such a structure offers Locus’ customers the ability to converge all incoming sources of information to create a much-needed integrated enterprise platform for EH&S+S management.

At the crux of this integration is Locus’ highly scalable and end-user configurable Locus Platform. The interoperability combines the Locus Platform as a service with its automation, mobile, and IoT platforms. The combined IoT suite will be hosted on Locus’ cloud.

“By combining our cloud platform and Internet of Things (IoT) platforms to make them interoperable, we provide the single platform for our customers that helps them lower their operational costs, reduce cycle time, and ultimately become better stewards of the environment. This integration will give our customers more analytics from connected devices,” added Duplan.

EPA issues Final Rule for regulating formaldehyde emissions

Six years after the passage of the Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 2697), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its final rule implementing the Act (Final Rule). The Final Rule—based on the formaldehyde regulation released by the California Air Resources Board (with which EPA collaborated in formulating the Final Rule)—seeks to reduce exposure to formaldehyde vapors by establishing emission standards and labeling requirements for certain wood products.

Final rule seeks to reduce exposure to formaldehyde vapors by establishing emission standards and labeling requirements for certain wood products.

Formaldehyde is a chemical that is commonly used in wood glue for furniture and flooring. Some studies have linked formaldehyde to nasopharyngeal cancer, eye irritation, and respiratory problems, while other studies have raised questions about the chemical’s potential role in causing asthma and allergic conditions, particularly among children.

In 2008, in response to these health concerns, California became the first US jurisdiction to issue emission limits on formaldehyde in building materials and furniture used in homes. Two years later, the US Congress enacted the Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products Act, which added Title VI to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This Act directed EPA to issue regulations implementing the Act.

The Final Rule sets formaldehyde emission standards applicable to hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard and particleboard, and finished goods containing these products that are sold, supplied, offered for sale, imported into, or manufactured in the United States. To show that they are in compliance with the emission standards, within one year, these products will need to be labeled as TSCA Title VI compliant. Furthermore, the Final Rule establishes an EPA TSCA Title VI Third-Party Certification Program to ensure that composite wood panel producers comply with the emission limits. Under this program, Third-Party Certifiers (TPCs) will regularly inspect composite wood panel producers and conduct emissions tests. TPCs who wish to participate in the program must apply to EPA for approval and receive program recognition before certifying products.

Products that contain de minimis amounts of composite wood products (defined as products containing 144 square inches or less of regulated composite wood products) are exempt from the labeling requirements.

Some small businesses have argued that the rule’s testing, labeling, and record-keeping requirements will disproportionally impact smaller firms that aren’t equipped to handle additional costs.

EPA plans to regulate carbon emissions from aircraft

The US Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced plans to limit carbon emissions from aircraft.

The EPA issued a final scientific assessment that concluded that carbon emissions from aircraft endanger public health and welfare, a legal prerequisite the agency must take before regulating those emissions.

EPA officials said last year when first proposing the aircraft scientific assessment that any regulation would be implemented in coordination with the International Civil Aviation Organization, a branch of the United Nations, which is drafting a global standard for airline carbon emissions.

Emissions from aircraft represent about 2% of total global carbon emissions, and the U.S. is the largest contributor to global aviation greenhouse gasses, according to federal data. The EPA said aircraft are the third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. transportation sector, accounting for about 3% of such emissions in the country.

EPA has already set effective GHG standards for cars and trucks. EPA anticipates moving forward on standards that would be at least as stringent as ICAO’s standards.

Military and small piston-engine planes often used for recreational purposes would be exempt from the new regulation. Excluding these two categories, the EPA’s scientific finding applies to 89% of all U.S. aircraft carbon emissions.

Airlines for America, the trade association representing U.S. airlines and air cargo carriers, said it commends the EPA’s action because it is working within the coming international framework.

In 2009 the International Air Transport Association, a global trade group, agreed to achieve carbon-neutral growth by 2020, meaning any future growth in air travel wouldn’t produce a net increase in carbon emissions.

Then, from 2020 through 2050, the industry aims to reduce its 2005 emission levels by half, largely through the use of sustainable fuels. The effort to use sustainable fuels has already started, and manufacturers and airlines support of alternative fuels is high.

Carbon management.

EPA to regulate aircraft emissions.

To that end, the US biofuels leader, Amyris, Inc. and oil company Total have partnered to develop an alternative aviation jet fuel made with a sustainably-sourced hydrocarbon using Amyris’s proprietary synthetic biology platform. In 2014, Amyris received industry acceptance and regulatory approval for renewable jet fuel in key U.S., European and Brazilian markets. The New York Times writes that Amyris renewable jet fuel “holds the elusive promise of better energy security, reduced carbon emissions, and lower fuel costs. Amyris’ jet fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 percent compared with petroleum fuels, when compared unmixed to petroleum fuels on a one-to-one basis, according to Amyris. Renewable fuels like Amyris farnesane ‘would help reduce the carbon footprint of commercial aviation,’ the Federal Aviation Administration said.”

Amyris announced that, on May 29, 2016, Cathay Pacific commenced a two-year program of flights from Toulouse to Hong Kong using Amyris renewable jet fuel.  The initial 12-hour flight was the longest flight using a renewable jet fuel to date, further underpinning the ‘drop-in’ characteristics of Amyris Biojet fuels. Cathay took delivery of a new Airbus A350-900 that flew from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, to Hong Kong using a 10% biofuel jet blend provided by Amyris with the commercial and industrial support of Total S.A. The combination of the new airplane’s improvements in fuel efficiency (about 25% better than current aircraft) and the fuel’s properties resulted in an estimated 30% reduction in CO2 emissions according to Cathay when compared to comparable flights in recent-generation aircraft using fossil fuels.