|
 |
 |  | Environmental Health and Safety Guidelines Update
As of April 30 2007, new versions of the World Bank Group Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines (the 'EHS Guidelines') are now in use. Please click here to access the new EHS Guidelines. |
|
|
What are the EHS Guidelines?
The EHS Guidelines are technical reference documents that address IFC's expectations regarding the industrial pollution management performance of its projects. They are designed to assist managers and decision makers with relevant industry background and technical information. This information supports actions aimed at avoiding, minimizing, and controlling environmental, health, and safety (EHS) impacts during the construction, operation, and decommissioning phase of a project or facility.
The EHS Guidelines currently consist of the industry sector environmental guidelines contained in Part III of the World Bank Pollution Prevention and Abatement Handbook (PPAH) which went into official use on July 1, 1998 and a series of EHS guidelines published in the IFC web site between 1991 and 2003. As of April 30, 2007, the new EHS Guidelines can be found at:
http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/enviro.nsf/Content/EnvironmentalGuidelines
The EHS Guidelines have become globally applied references for private sector development with their use extending well beyond World Bank Group operations to a diverse external community, such as other international financial institutions, regulators, industry, academics, and commercial banks, including the international banks that have adopted the Equator Principles.
» Return to top
Why are the EHS Guidelines being updated?
The EHS Guidelines have not been comprehensively updated since 1998, although they were intended to be "living documents" at their inception. Given the broad applicability and use of the EHS Guidelines as reference documents, they must continue to meet internationally-accepted standards on pollution prevention and control, as well as occupational and community health and safety.
Therefore, as part of IFC's integrated policy review to create the IFC Policy and Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability, IFC is undertaking the review and update of the EHS Guidelines. Once the Update is completed the full set of EHS Guidelines will be known as the World Bank Group Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines.
» Return to top
How do the EHS Guidelines fit with IFC's new Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability?
The updated EHS Guidelines will serve as a technical reference source to support the implementation of the IFC Performance Standards, particularly in those aspects related to Performance Standard 3: Pollution Prevention & Abatement, as well as certain aspects of occupational and community health and safety.
When host country regulations differ from the levels and measures presented in the EHS Guidelines, projects will be expected to achieve whichever is more stringent. If less stringent levels or measures are appropriate in view of specific project circumstances, a full and detailed justification for any proposed alternatives will be needed as part of the site-specific environmental assessment. This justification will need to demonstrate that the choice for any alternate performance levels is consistent with the overall requirements of the relevant IFC Performance Standards.
» Return to top
Who do I contact for more information?
Contact the EHS Guidelines Update Team:
International Finance Corporation
Environment and Social Development Department
Attn: Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines Update
2121 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20433
U.S.A.
E-mail: EHSGU@ifc.org
» Return to top |
| |
