Preparação para implantação do sistema de gestão ambiental: caso de um curtume do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

In a competitive market, organizations should guide their actions in order to ensure sustainability for all involved. This study aims to understand the practice of environmental management in a tannery of Rio Grande do Sul, designed to prepare for the implementation of an environmental management system. The research methodology is characterized as applied, descriptive, quantitative and qualitative survey using a sample of 50 employees in a universe of 623 employees who were surveyed between January and March 2015. To guide the construction of the instrument it was used environmental management, legislation and environmental indicators and waste management, wastewater and atmospheric emissions plan, totalling sixteen questions. The proposed implementation took place through cleaner production methodology. The results demonstrated that the company practice small acts of environmental management as outsourcing of leather waste, treats the water used in the waste baths and lands the sludge generated by the treatment plant, but the water that is treated is not reused, and internal communication actions and investments as the implementation of the environmental management system would be important for the management of the organization, as the company operates in the international market. The company has a potential for implementation, since it already has ISO 9001:2008 certification, which facilitates the understanding and involvement of all in the process.