Quality Inn & Suites Hotel adopts ISO 14001 environmental management system

provided by Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP

 

he Quality Inn & Suites of San Diego, CA, announced today it will adopt the internationally recognized environmental management system, ISO 14001, as part of a settlement agreement with the San Diego City Attorney.

Quality Inn and Suites Hotel made the decision to adopt ISO 14001 as part of the settlement of a complaint by the San Diego City Attorney alleging that Quality Inn and Suites had improperly disposed of asbestos-containing floor tiles. Although not admitting the complaint to have merit, Quality Inn and Suites recognized an imperative need for a sound environmental management system.

"Simply stated, by carrying out ISO 14001, we hope to waste fewer resources, reduce liabilities, improve our public image and increase profits," said Barry Ward, Vice President of Narven Enterprises, management company for the general partner for Quality Inn & Suites. "We look forward to all the benefits of being 'green' and of substantial savings of costs.

"In the past, we relied on outside 'experts' to assure that we complied with our environmental obligations. That has proven very unsatisfactory. ISO 14001 will help us take a closer look at how we manage our environmental activities and reduce our risk of future infractions."

Quality Inn and Suites was represented in the negotiation of this innovative settlement by Mr. S. Wayne Rosenbaum and Mr. Charles V. Berwanger, Environmental Attorneys with the law firm of Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP of San Diego. Mr. Berwanger stressed "we are extremely pleased with this settlement. It is good for the environment, it is good for Quality Inn and Suites and it is good for the hospitality industry generally." Mr. Rosenbaum continued, "my hat is off to City Attorney Steven Gold, my counterpart at the City Attorney's office, for his farsightedness. Mr. Gold understands the best way to improve environmental compliance is to improve environmental management."

Mr. Rosenbaum is particularly knowledgeable as to not only environmental law generally, but as to environmental management systems specifically. Mr. Rosenbaum is an ISO 14001 Auditor and the author of the definitive text ISO 14001 and the Law, a legal guide for the implementation of environmental management standards.

Quality Inn and Suites will be assisted in its implementation project by First Environment, Inc., located in Woodland Hills, CA, with headquarters in Riverdale, New Jersey. First Environment is a leader in environmental systems implementation. Its broad experience includes many successful environmental systems' implementations in the manufacturing and utilities sectors. Dr. Tod Delaney, President of First Environment, observed "we are excited to have been selected as a member of the implementation team. We are convinced that ISO 14001 will provide significant profit enhancement for the hospitality industry while minimizing their impacts on the environment."

In addition to implementing ISO 14001 at the Quality Inn & Suites Hotel, Mr. Rosenbaum, Dr. Delaney and Mr. Backus will provide workshops for the hospitality industry throughout San Diego to educate the industry on the value of adopting ISO 14001.

Finally, Quality Inn and Suites, in furtherance of its desire to contribute to environmental protection and as a part of its settlement, will pay all costs incurred by the San Diego City Attorney's office during its investigation and negotiations, and will make a charitable contribution to the Western States Project of $20,000 and pay a civil penalty of $50,000.

  For more information, please contact S. Wayne Rosenbaum, Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP, 401 West A Street, Suite 2600, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 236-1551; fax (619) 696-1410.