DMASWA Environmental Management System

Background

DMASWA was selected as one of the six solid waste management planning areas in Iowa to participate as a pilot in the Environmental Management System (EMS) program to expand the scope of their waste management systems. The EMS was established by the 2008 Iowa Legislature and the pilot planning areas will concentrate on services they provide to improve their overall performance, including yard waste management, hazardous household waste collection, water quality improvement, greenhouse gas reduction, recycling services, and environmental education. Under the EMS Designation Program, a planning area will be evaluated by the continuous improvement of its services, and will focus on expanded opportunities for environmental resource management.

The foundation of DMASWA's EMS is its Environmental Policy that expresses the commitment of our Board of Directors and Agency employees to improving environmental performance, and sets out goals for pollution prevention, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. Objectives and targets have been developed to guide continuous improvement toward Agency goals.

The six pilot agencies include: Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency, Waste Commission of Scott County, Metro Waste Authority of Des Moines, Cedar Rapids-Linn County Landfill Service Area, Cass County Environmental Control Agency and Rathbun Area Solid Waste Management Commission.

The EMS is led by a core team of DMASWA. Members of the team are:
Chuck Goddard, Agency Administrator
Doug Hughes, Facility Supervisor
Paul Schultz, City of Dubuque Resource Management Supervisor
Don Vogt, City of Dubuque Public Works Director
Bev Wagner, DMASWA Education & Communication Coordinator

For more information on the Environment Management System program, please contact Dubuque Metropolitan Area Solid Waste Agency.