What is the primary objective of **EPA**?

**The primary objective of EPA standards is to protect human health and the environment through enforceable requirements under statutes like the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).** Codified in **40 CFR**, these standards establish numeric limits (e.g., NAAQS under CAA), technology-based controls (e.g., effluent guidelines, MACT), permitting (NPDES, Title V), monitoring, and reporting to prevent pollution across air, water, and waste media. They ensure uniform national baselines while allowing state implementation via SIPs and permits.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **EPA**?

**Entities discharging pollutants, emitting to air, or managing hazardous waste are legally required to comply with EPA standards if they meet applicability thresholds in 40 CFR.** This includes point source dischargers under NPDES (CWA), major sources ≥10 tpy single HAP or ≥25 tpy combined (CAA Title V/MACT), and hazardous waste generators/TSDFs (RCRA Subparts AA/BB/CC, e.g., ≥10 ppmw organics for vents). States administer many programs with EPA oversight; all must demonstrate compliance via permits and records.

Does **EPA** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**EPA does not universally require external audits or third-party certification but mandates self-monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting verifiable during EPA/state inspections.** NPDES Compliance Inspection Manual emphasizes DMR reviews and QA/QC; RCRA requires internal inspections (e.g., daily for Subpart AA vents). Voluntary audits under 1986/1995 policies may mitigate penalties if disclosed promptly.

How often should an assessment for **EPA** be performed?

**Assessments for EPA compliance must align with permit-specific frequencies, such as daily monitoring for RCRA Subpart AA control devices, semiannual reporting, and periodic inspections.** Title V and NPDES permits dictate performance tests and DMR submissions (monthly/quarterly); RCRA mandates 3-year record retention and annual closed-vent inspections. Internal audits should follow PDCA cycles, with baseline reviews at permit renewal.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **EPA**?

**Non-compliance with EPA standards triggers civil penalties (strict liability, preponderance standard), injunctive relief, and potential criminal liability for knowing violations.** Penalties recover economic benefit plus gravity-based amounts; examples include Hino Motors ($1.6B for CAA fraud). Enforcement via inspections, ECHO data, and settlements often includes SEPs; repeat violations escalate to shutdowns or debarment.

Can **EPA** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**EPA standards cannot be directly mapped to other international frameworks in official guidance, as they are U.S.-specific under 40 CFR and statutes like CAA/CWA/RCRA.** Cross-program elections exist internally (e.g., RCRA Subparts AA/BB/CC via CAA Parts 60/61/63), but external mappings require facility-specific analysis of performance requirements, not formal equivalency.

What is the first step to begin implementing **EPA**?

**The first step to implement EPA compliance is compiling a regulatory register of applicable statutes, 40 CFR parts, permits, and state obligations per facility.** Conduct a baseline audit using EPA protocols (e.g., RCRA TSDF checklist), prioritizing high-risk areas like labeling, DMRs, and thresholds (e.g., RCRA ≥500 ppmw VOC).

What is the primary objective of **ISO 22301**?

**ISO 22301 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS).** It enables organizations to protect against, reduce the likelihood of, and ensure recovery from disruptive incidents through a PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle across 10 clauses, focusing on **Business Impact Analysis (BIA)**, risk assessment, and operational resilience for critical products and services.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **ISO 22301**?

**ISO 22301 applies to organizations of all sizes and sectors seeking resilience, with heightened professional requirements in critical sectors like utilities, transport, health, finance, and IT.** It is not universally legally mandated but supports compliance with regulations such as the EU NIS Directive for essential services operators and digital providers, where BCM is required to mitigate disruptions.

Does **ISO 22301** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**ISO 22301 requires external audits for third-party certification, conducted in two stages: Stage 1 (readiness review) and Stage 2 (effectiveness audit), typically taking 6-8 weeks.** Certification is valid for 3 years, with annual surveillance audits to verify ongoing BCMS conformance.

How often should an assessment for **ISO 22301** be performed?

**Internal audits and management reviews for ISO 22301 must be performed at planned intervals, typically annually, with continual monitoring per Clause 9.** The standard undergoes systematic review every 5 years, as evidenced by its 2019 revision and 2024 Amendment 1 on climate action.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **ISO 22301**?

**Non-compliance with ISO 22301 exposes organizations to unmitigated disruptions, financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties in mandated sectors.** Certified organizations avoid these via tested BCMS, but lapsed certification after 3 years without surveillance forfeits global recognition and benefits like reduced insurance premiums.

Can **ISO 22301** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, ISO 22301 seamlessly maps to other frameworks via its Annex SL high-level structure.** It aligns with ISO 27001 for integrated BCMS-ISMS, ISO 31000 for risk management, and ISO 22313 for guidance, enabling bundled implementations and efficiencies in audits and procedures.

What is the first step to begin implementing **ISO 22301**?

**The first step to implement ISO 22301 is conducting a gap analysis against Clauses 4-10, starting with Clause 4 (Context of the Organization).** This identifies internal/external issues, interested parties, and BCMS scope, followed by leadership commitment (Clause 5) and BIA to tailor the PDCA cycle.

EPA vs ISO 22301

Standards Comparison

EPA

Mandatory

1970

U.S. federal regulations for air, water, waste compliance

ISO 22301

Voluntary

2019

International standard for business continuity management systems.

Quick Verdict

EPA enforces mandatory environmental standards for US industries via monitoring and penalties, while ISO 22301 offers voluntary certification for global business continuity. Companies adopt EPA for legal compliance; ISO 22301 for resilience and trust.

Air Quality

EPA

EPA Standards (CAA, CWA, RCRA, 40 CFR)

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Multi-layered architecture: statutes, 40 CFR, permits, enforcement
Health-based NAAQS and technology-based emission limits
Evidence-driven compliance via monitoring, QA/QC, reporting
Federal-state implementation with national baselines
Predictable enforcement recovering economic noncompliance benefits

Business Continuity

ISO 22301

ISO 22301:2019 Business continuity management systems Requirements

Cost

€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

0-6 months

Key Features

PDCA cycle for continual BCMS improvement
Business Impact Analysis (BIA) for prioritization
Risk assessment and recovery strategy planning
Leadership commitment and role assignments
Operational testing and internal audits

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

EPA Details

What It Is

EPA Standards are a family of legally binding regulations under statutes like Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), codified in 40 CFR. This regulatory framework protects human health and the environment through air, water, and waste controls. It employs a hybrid risk- and technology-based approach, blending health endpoints (e.g., NAAQS) with performance standards (e.g., MACT, effluent guidelines).

Key Components

**AirNAAQS, NSPS, MACT, Title V permits.
**WaterNPDES, effluent guidelines, WQS.
**WasteRCRA TSDF standards, Subparts AA/BB/CC.
Core elements: applicability thresholds, numeric limits, monitoring/recordkeeping, enforcement. Built on federal-state implementation; compliance via permits, no central certification.

Why Organizations Use It

Mandatory for regulated entities to avoid strict liability penalties, operational shutdowns, and criminal risks. Drives risk management, ESG alignment, cost savings via efficiencies, and stakeholder trust through transparency tools like ECHO.

Implementation Overview

Phased approach: gap analysis, regulatory mapping, controls deployment, data systems, training, audits. Applies to U.S. industrial facilities; involves state permits, ongoing monitoring, internal audits.

ISO 22301 Details

What It Is

ISO 22301:2019 is the international standard for Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS), providing requirements to plan, implement, operate, monitor, review, and continually improve resilience against disruptions like cyberattacks, pandemics, and natural disasters. It uses a risk-based PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle for flexibility across organizations.

Key Components

10 clauses based on Annex SL high-level structure
Core pillars: context (Clause 4), leadership/policy (5), planning/BIA/risk assessment (6), support/resources (7), operations/testing (8), evaluation/audits (9), improvement (10)
No prescriptive controls; tailored via Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO)
3-year certification with annual surveillance audits

Why Organizations Use It

Drives resilience, minimizes financial losses/downtime, ensures regulatory compliance (e.g., NIS Directive, NIST), enhances stakeholder trust/reputation, reduces insurance costs, provides competitive procurement advantages amid rising global risks.

Implementation Overview

Phased approach: gap analysis, BIA/risk assessment, documentation/training, testing/exercises, internal/external audits. Suits all sizes/sectors/geographies; two-stage certification (6-8 weeks) via accredited bodies, accelerated by tools like GlobalSuite.

Key Differences

Aspect	EPA	ISO 22301
Scope	Environmental protection across air, water, waste	Business continuity management and resilience
Industry	All industries, US-focused, all sizes	All sectors worldwide, all sizes
Nature	Mandatory US federal regulations, enforced legally	Voluntary international certification standard
Testing	Monitoring, sampling, inspections, DMR reporting	BIA, exercises, internal/external audits
Penalties	Civil/criminal fines, injunctions, imprisonment	Loss of certification, no legal penalties

Scope

EPA

Environmental protection across air, water, waste

ISO 22301

Business continuity management and resilience

Industry

EPA

All industries, US-focused, all sizes

ISO 22301

All sectors worldwide, all sizes

Nature

EPA

Mandatory US federal regulations, enforced legally

ISO 22301

Voluntary international certification standard

Testing

EPA

Monitoring, sampling, inspections, DMR reporting

ISO 22301

BIA, exercises, internal/external audits

Penalties

EPA

Civil/criminal fines, injunctions, imprisonment

ISO 22301

Loss of certification, no legal penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about EPA and ISO 22301

EPA FAQ

ISO 22301 FAQ

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EPA

ISO 22301

Quick Verdict

EPA

Key Features

ISO 22301

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

EPA Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

ISO 22301 Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

EPA FAQ

What is the primary objective of EPA?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with EPA?

Does EPA require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for EPA be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with EPA?

Can EPA be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing EPA?

ISO 22301 FAQ

What is the primary objective of ISO 22301?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with ISO 22301?

Does ISO 22301 require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for ISO 22301 be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with ISO 22301?

Can ISO 22301 be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing ISO 22301?

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Your Compliance Command Center: How Modern Tools Orchestrate Cross-Departmental Adherence

Scaling Compliance: How Modern Tools Transform Lean Teams into Regulatory Powerhouses

Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages

APPI vs AEO

EMAS vs APRA CPS 234

TOGAF vs ISO 30301