The US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), as a part of its Contaminated Site Cleanup Information programmes, has produced a series of two page fact sheets which summarize clean up methods used at Superfund and other sites. The fact sheets answer six questions: – 1) What is it? 2) How does it work? 3) How long does it take? 4) Is it safe? 5) How might it affect me? and 6) Why use it?

There are 22 fact sheets in total covering topics such as:- Activated Carbon Treatment; Air Stripping; Bioremediation; Capping; Ecological revitalisation; Evapotranspiration Covers; Excavation of Contaminated Land; Fracturing for Site Cleanup; Greener Cleanups; In situ Chemical Oxidisation; In situ Thermal Treatment; Incineration; Monitored Natural Attenuation; Permeable Reactive Barriers; Phytoremediation; Pump and Treat; Soil Vapour Extraction and Ar Sparging; Solidification and Stabilisation; Thermal Desorption; Vapour Intrusion mitigation; and Vertical Engineering Barriers.

These fact sheets are useful basic explanations but do not replace expert knowledge and experience. The fact sheets can be downloaded in PDF format either here or here.

The Institute of Air Quality Management (IAQM) has produced the above mentioned guide downloadable here.

The IAQM guidance document, the authors state, is not intended to be a primer on how to model air quality impacts but instead is intended to provide practical guidance for those air quality specialists who undertake air quality impact assessments and are already familiar with modelling techniques. It also aims to encourage greater communication and co-operation between air quality and ecological specialists.

The document can also be downloaded from the IAQM website here where other useful resources can be found.

The document has a Eurocentric base, using the UK and EU regulations as a backdrop. However, with this in mind, professionals from other parts of the world will benefit from the insights, guides, suggestions and bullet points included in the text which can be extrapolated to local conditions and circumstances.
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 The CERES Road MAP to Sustainability is described as a strategic vision and practical framework for sustainable corporations in the 21^st Century. The Roadmap presents 20 expectations in the areas of governance, stakeholder engagement, disclosure, and performance that companies should seek to meet by 2020 in order to transform into truly sustainable enterprises. Moving on the road to 2020, it has been important to take stock of the changing world and to refresh the Ceres Roadmap expectations to reflect global sustainability trends. Thus, there have been some changes in the Road map which are highlighted here.

This manual was produced in 2015 by the South Dakota Department of Transportation. It focuses upon US state and legal compliance but there are some very useful sections which can function as templates for developing or customising procedures. So often, people struggle with wording and content of procedures and this manual helps to give a “leg up” where one is struggling for word and phrasing options. If you are US-based, this will be even more relevant.

I particularly liked the simplicity of the historic and archaeological resources section and the hot links in the documents to detailed support documentation such as official forms and the Construction Field Manual: Construction Site Management and Erosion and Sediment Control.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) define global priorities and aspirations for 2030. They represent an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate extreme poverty and put the world on a sustainable path.

The objective of the Guide, developed by GRI, the UN Global Compact and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), is to support companies in aligning their strategies with the SDGs and in measuring and managing their contribution. There is also a four page, Summary of the guide for those who wish to sample the contents.

The guide has been developed with a focus on large multinational enterprises. However, small and medium enterprises and other organizations are also encouraged to use it as a source of inspiration and adapt it, as necessary. It is designed for use at high level, but may be applied at product, site, divisional or regional level as required.

Designed for global action: Between 2000 and 2015, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) provided an important development framework and achieved success in a number of areas such as reducing poverty and improving health and education in developing countries. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have succeeded the MDGs, expanding the challenges that must be addressed to eliminate poverty and embracing a wide range of inter-connected topics across the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The SDGs were born out of what is arguably the most inclusive process in the history of the United Nations, reflecting substantive input from all sectors of society and all parts of the world. Through the UN Global Compact alone, more than 1,500 companies provided input and guidance.

The goals are universally applicable in developing and developed countries alike. Governments are expected to translate them into national action plans, policies and initiatives, reflecting the different realities and capacities their countries possess. While they primarily target governments, the SDGs are designed to rally a wide range of organizations, and shape priorities and aspirations for sustainable development efforts around a common framework. Most importantly, the SDGs recognize the key role that business can and must play in achieving them.

The downloadable print version of this book is available here. However, should you wish to make use of the on-line toolkit, along with all of its various links, start here. The on-line kit and handbook includes information on energy efficiency, waste reduction, biodiversity protection, and sustainability beyond the office. The on-line facility also links to case studies which can be downloaded.

This initiative was championed by the Cape Town City Council with the help of various commercial sponsors, and was actually launched in 2013 but the material is still relevant and usable. It covers many bases and is a very useful way for businesses to start the process. It needs more depth to sustain an initiative of this nature but there are links to sites and organisations that can assist with taking the programme to more mature levels, once the basics are achieved.

The Environmental Resource Guidebook for SME Manufacturers was produced by the Federation of Hong Kong Industries in September 2008. Despite its age, it has a great deal of very useful information on key environmental issues in different industry sectors and discusses in basic terms, different environmental management tools that are available. The general checklist for environmental audit is excellent and a good basis on which to build any internal environmental audit.

The general content of this guidebook will be of use to anyone involved in environmental management and can be downloaded free of charge.