Summary (part 6 operational management)

Summary

(part 6 operational management)

LOGISTICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICE

Environmental Management Systems

logistics and transport activities have been identified as having a major impact on the environment in which we all live.

environmental mangement system is standard which provides a framework for managing environmental issues rather than establishing performance requirements. and ISO  14000 is environmental management standard was issued by the  international organization for standardization (ISO).

Environmental checklist

•       The following checklist was published in 1991 by the UK Department of Trade and Industry.

                This is  few of examples a series of questions:

•       Do your processes and materials pose any danger?

•       Do you know what impact your products (including their disposal) and services have on the environment?

•       Do you know what quantity and type of waste you produce?

•       What arrangements do you have for monitoring compliance with environmental legislation?

•       Are you aware of existing environmental standards and legislation in the UK and overseas?

Packaging

Packaging is important to logisticians for a number of reasons. how effectively the products may be loaded into transport containers such as cartons or vehicles.

For example, a cylindrical-shaped product is unlikely to fill a given cubic capacity.

Because, all storage and transport resources have a finite size and weight

restriction.

filling these spaces effectively is extremely important.

Waste transport and disposal

The UK Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991 created responsibilities for all those involved in the import, production, keeping, treatment, transport,transfer and disposal of waste.

the transfer of waste only to persons authorized to receive it and documentation describing the waste and parties involved in its disposal.

Performance measure

Performance measures are useful for evaluating the progress or  otherwise of a given initiative. Most business managers will be  concerned with costs and benefits because businesses are concerned with making a healthy investment.

Very often, best environmental practice will result in financial benefits in  return.

For example, investment in driver training may deliver savings through  reduced accident figures and better fuel consumption.

Reverse logistics

Acording to Rogers, D.S. and Tibben-Lembke, R. :

they define reverse logistics as an activity to plan, apply, and control the process in order to achieve efficiencies with the flow of materials, supplies, finished products, and related information from the consumer back to manufacturing in order to regain the economic value of the product or for true disposal process .

Alternative fuel

With the increasing concerns about global warming, attention has inevitably been focused on the causes. One of the major culprits identified by scientists has been the emissions  created by burning fossil fuels in transport vehicles the effects of road vehicle  emissions on human health in the micro Environment.

 This several alternative fuel:

Compressed natural gas (CNG)

Liquefied natural gas (LNG)

Bi-fuel or dual-fuel options

Bio-diesel

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

Electric power

Dimethyl ether (DME)

Source : Handbook  of logistics and distribution management 2006-Roushton,Croucher and Baker