Environmental Management System for Small Business

Abstract

Suany Nayra Rodrigues Lima, Nathalie Barbosa Reis Monteiro, Jose Machado Moita Neto and Elaine Aparecida da Silva

The upholstery remanufacturing service provides for the sale of products that contain reused items, extending their lifespan. The objective of this study is to propose a simple and feasible Environmental Management System for small businesses, like upholstery companies. Visits were made to twenty-eight upholstery companies in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, with the objective of getting to know the sector and accompanying the production process, as well as observing the environmental aspects involved in the activity. The EMS standards do not meet the needs of small businesses like upholstery companies, however, it is possible to outline a minimum set of procedures for improving the enterprise’ sustainability, such as the organization of the environment, employees training, reducing material losses, using Personal Protective Equipment, adequate waste destination, reusing materials wasted in the process, among others. The results provide subsidy for application to small companies in Brazil and in other parts of the world.

PDF