THE FMEA ANALYSIS AS A TOOL OF SUPPORT FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS AND IMPACTS ON A RICE AGROINDUSTRIES

Abstract

Rice processing, especially in the Rio Grande do Sul State, is very representative percentagewise in the economy of the State. Until not long ago the industry was not equally up to environmental standards. A few years ago, rice processing companies started to look into it and initiated programs and actions to reduce impact on the environment. Considering today’s level of environmental degradation we chose to evaluate the environmental impact of a rice processing plant in the city of Bagé/RS because this is a fundamental step for the implementation of an environmental management system. With this in mind and using a FMEA (Failure Modes and Effect Analysis) tool, we defined the parameters for analysis and correction of the impacts. FMEA helps in the identification, classification and diagnosis of the type of environmental impact generated by an industrial process, helping in the implementation of an action plan to mitigate the most significant environmental impacts of the company.