Becoming a Greener Distillery

Owning a distillery can produce significant carbon emissions and waste. From coal-generated electricity and plastic cups to airline travel and freight shipments, nearly everything used to run a distillery can negatively impact the environment. Fortunately, for every decision you make for your distillery, there is a greener alternative. Distiller’s Magazine has a great article about […]

Regulatory Database Ensures Vessel Documentation Compliance

Freer Consulting recently took over the management of a “Regulatory Database” for a key maritime transportation client. This database tracks the expiration of important licenses and certifications for the company’s vessels. The maritime regulatory ecosystem is vast, with diverse state, Federal, and international authorities requiring certificates that expire on different dates and can have different […]

ABS Group Registered Consultants List

Freer Consulting recently made the list of Registered Consultants by the ABS Group, a trusted technical services provider focused on safety, risk, and integrity management. The ABS Quality Evaluations (ABS QE), a subsidiary of the ABS Group, is a world-leading certification body that offers companies management systems certification, verification, assessment and training. If you would […]

The Clean Water Act and Citizen Litigation

Here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s easy to take our abundance of water for granted. Our region is fortunate to have numerous streams, rivers, and lakes that we depend upon for drinking water, for recreation, and for ecological sustainability. In recent years, greater attention has been paid to understanding the impact that stormwater runoff has […]

Are You Keeping Up With UST Regulations?

Though we usually don’t notice them, underground storage tanks (USTs) are everywhere. Out of sight, however, shouldn’t mean out of mind. Because USTs often contain substances such as diesel fuel or gasoline, they’re subject to a number of regulations. These regulations ensure that owners take the appropriate steps to contain and/or prevent environmentally damaging leaks […]

EPA Proposes Rollback of Clean Water Act Regulation

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a change in definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The move represents a long running argument between interested parties and how broad the definition should be. The definition hinges on what “navigable waters” means. A prior rule change in 2015 was […]

API Spec Q1 – Addendum 2: Your Supply Chain is Only as Strong as its Weakest Link

Over the summer, the American Petroleum Institute (API) released an update to its Spec Q1 standard. This update, also known as Addendum 2, requires an additional layer of control over critical suppliers. Ultimately, these controls are beneficial, as they close a quality gap that was previously overlooked; however, as is the case with many improvements, […]

Updates to ISO 22000 and ISO 50001

This summer, the International Standards Organization (ISO) released updates to its 22000 and 50001 standards. While there is a 3-year transition period for currently certified organizations, it is important to be aware of these updates and adjust existing management systems to ensure continued compliance. Organizations wishing to gain initial certification in either of these standards, […]

Reminder: ISGP Annual Reports Due May 15

If you’re a business located in Washington state and you have coverage under the Industrial Stormwater General Permit (ISGP), please remember that your annual report for 2017 is due to the Department of Ecology by May 15, 2018. The annual report should include the following items: • Permittee information (permittee name, location, and permit number) […]