Everything You Need to Know About Full Environmental Programs

What Is a Full Environmental Program? (And Why You Don’t Need to Hire an In-House Team)

Ever feel like you’re one missed deadline away from a five-figure fine or a surprise inspection?

If you're juggling SPCC plans, stormwater sampling, hazardous waste logs, and employee training (all while managing your actual job), you're not alone. The pressure is real, and it never stops.

Instead of hiring an environmental manager or hoping nothing slips through the cracks, more companies are choosing a different path, letting experts handle their entire environmental program. Fully outsourcing all the work that’s needed, just like outsourcing your taxes to an accountant. Think of it like an outsourced environmental department. It’s a smarter, leaner way to stay compliant, without adding to your payroll.

In this article, we’ll break down what a full environmental program actually includes, who it’s for (and when it might be overkill), how much it costs compared to hiring in-house, and what it’s like when RMA runs it for you. And if you still have questions or just want to learn more when you're done, reach out to us here!

Table of Contents

• What You Get With a Full Environmental Program
• Full Program vs. EMS: What's the Real Difference?
• Is a Full Environmental Program Right for Your Business?
• What RMA Can Manage as Your Environmental Department
• How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Your Environmental Department?
• How We Set Up and Launch Your Environmental Program
• Common Myths About Outsourcing Environmental Compliance
• How to Learn More About Full Environmental Programs

What You Get With a Full Environmental Program

A full environmental program is exactly what it sounds like: your entire environmental compliance effort - managed for you, by experienced professionals.

Instead of hiring, training, and overseeing your own EHS team, you get a turnkey solution that handles everything. That includes SPCC plan development and inspections, stormwater compliance and sampling, hazardous and universal waste management, and environmental training tailored to your site and staff. It also covers regulatory submittals like Tier II, TRI, NPDES, and RCRA reporting, along with internal audits, SOP development, corrective action tracking, and the creation and upkeep of your compliance calendar and documentation system.

All of it is customized to your operation and maintained without you lifting a finger. Yes, environmental compliance really can be that simple.

In some cases, we serve as a strategic partner to your existing environmental team - helping get new systems in place, training your staff, and building capacity for the long haul before handing off to your internal team. In others, we handle the entire program ourselves on an ongoing basis. We become your environmental department, bringing the technical expertise and regulatory follow-through you’d expect from a fully staffed team, without the overhead.

Full Program vs. EMS: What’s the Real Difference?

You can think of a full environmental program as an "EMS with legs".

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a structured framework recipe. It outlines what needs to be done, when, how, and by whom. It gives you the policies, procedures, training schedules, audit protocols, and documentation structure needed to stay compliant. It’s a map.

And a full environmental program is the manpower, thinking, doing, acting, and talking that transforms a plan on paper into real-world action. Instead of relying on your internal team to execute the EMS, a full program provides the boots on the ground, the specialists who:

• Write the SOPs and ensure they’re followed
• Show up for inspections, audits, and sampling
• Train your staff and update training logs
• Track deadlines and file the right reports at the right time
• Spot issues, fix gaps, and communicate directly with regulators if needed

If an EMS is the recipe, your full environmental program is the chef, kitchen staff, and meal prep, done for you. It’s execution, ownership, and ongoing support. It’s like hiring a full-time environmental department without adding a single person to payroll.

Is a Full Environmental Program Right for Your Business?

A full environmental program isn’t just for massive industrial operations or Fortune 500 companies. In fact, the leaner your team is, the more valuable this kind of support becomes.

This solution is ideal for companies managing multiple environmental programs (like SPCC, stormwater, TRI, or hazardous waste) and struggling to keep them all organized. It’s especially useful for businesses operating across multiple sites or states that need consistency without adding complexity. If you’ve had close calls, missed deadlines, or actual violations, a full program helps you prevent repeat issues and maintain compliance with confidence.

It’s also a great fit for organizations in transition, whether you're onboarding new staff, expanding into new regions, or shifting internal roles. Many clients also turn to this solution when bidding on government or corporate contracts that require proof of an EMS or a sustainability initiative. And if you're simply tired of reacting to last-minute problems, this gives you a proactive system with built-in accountability.

Even if you already have parts of the puzzle (like a compliance calendar, a binder of SOPs, or a consultant who checks in periodically), a full environmental program pulls it all together and keeps it running. It’s built for companies that are done “just getting by” and ready to get ahead.

Read: How to Know if Your Environmental Program is Actually Working

What RMA Can Manage as Your Environmental Department

Every full program we build is customized to your facility, your risks, and your goals, but there are core services we provide across the board. Think of this as everything you’d expect from an internal environmental team, without the overhead or hiring.

Core Services

• Set up and management of an EMS to manage regulatory requirements
• Development and ongoing maintenance of SOPs for inspections, sampling, etc.
• Regulatory deadline tracking and compliance calendars
• Monthly site visits or virtual support check-ins
• Internal audits and gap assessments
• On-call support for compliance questions, updates, or emergencies

Regulatory Support

• SPCC inspections and plan maintenance
• Stormwater program management, sampling training, and reporting
• Hazardous and universal waste inspections and labeling checks
• Preparation and submittal of Tier II, TRI, NPDES, and other required reports
• Permit renewals and updates

Training & Documentation

• Environmental training that's customized and role-based 
• Access to our training tools and LMS (Learning Management System)
• Training documentation, tracking, organization, and recordkeeping
• Corrective action logs and resolution tracking
• Audit-ready documentation across all program areas

We don’t just drop off a binder and hope it gets used. We show up, we maintain it, and we keep it moving so you stay ahead of deadlines, audits, and potential violations.

How Much Does It Cost to Outsource Your Environmental Program?

Let’s get right to it, because this is the question most people want answered first.

The cost of a full environmental program depends on a few key factors: how many sites you have, how complex your regulatory obligations are, and how much hands-on support you want. But in nearly every case, it’s significantly more affordable than hiring an in-house team.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison:

Most of our clients fall in the $2,000 to $5,000/month range, depending on their size, risk level, and number of locations. And unlike a salary, this includes an entire team of specialists with no vacation gaps, no benefits, and no learning curve. You get the experience and bandwidth of a full environmental department at a fraction of the cost.

We also offer pricing estimates in 5 minutes through our online environmental assessment tool,no sales call required! Just answer a few questions about your facility type, locations, and current programs, and we’ll give you a realistic range.

How We Set Up and Launch Your Environmental Program

Getting started with a full environmental program isn’t complicated, and we make sure it never feels overwhelming. Whether you’re starting from scratch or already have a few pieces in place, we build around what you’ve got and fill in the gaps.

Here’s how the rollout typically works:

1. Initial Assessment

We begin with a deep dive into how you’re currently managing compliance: what’s working, what’s missing, and where the biggest risks are. This gives us a clear baseline and helps us tailor the program to your specific needs.

2. Program Design

We build your full EMS framework, including policies, SOPs, training plans, compliance calendar, and documentation tools. Everything is customized to your facility type, staff, and regulatory scope.

3. Implementation & Rollout

We put the system in motion by onboarding your team, scheduling site visits, and setting expectations. We make sure everyone knows who’s doing what, how to use the tools, and what happens next.

4. Ongoing Support

Once the program is running, we stay with you. That includes regular check-ins, site visits, training refreshers, regulatory submittals, and compliance troubleshooting. Some clients want monthly visits, others prefer quarterly. Whatever the case, we scale with you.

Most programs are up and running in 4 to 8 weeks, depending on complexity. You’ll have a fully operational EMS and a dedicated team driving it, without ever having to hire internally.

Read: What it Looks Like When We Build a Full Environmental Program

Common Myths About Outsourcing Environmental Compliance

If you’re new to the idea of outsourcing your environmental program, it’s normal to have a few hesitations. Here are some of the most common objections we hear (and why they usually don’t hold up!):

“We’re too small for something like this.”

Actually, smaller teams benefit the most. When you don’t have the bandwidth or budget for a full-time hire, a dedicated external team ensures nothing gets missed and gives you peace of mind without stretching your staff.

“We already do safety... isn’t that enough?”

Not quite. Safety and environmental compliance are two separate tracks with different rules, regulators, and risks. Even if you have great safety procedures, environmental gaps can still leave you exposed.

“We’ve never had a problem, so we’re probably fine.”

Most violations happen when things seem fine, until an inspector shows up or a small oversight becomes a big issue. A full program catches those issues before they become problems.

“This is just extra paperwork, it won’t really help us.”

Done right, it’s the opposite of busywork. It’s about simplifying, organizing, and protecting your business. You save time, avoid penalties, and hand off an entire category of responsibility to people who live and breathe it.

“We’ll do this when we have more time.”

Let’s be honest... that time rarely shows up. Meanwhile, compliance risks (and pressure) keep growing. Most clients tell us the same thing: “I wish we had done this sooner.”

“We’re already doing some of this... isn't that enough?”

Great, that means you’re not starting from zero! We can audit what you have, identify the gaps, and build around your existing tools. You don’t lose anything, you just gain structure, accountability, and ongoing support.

Read: 5 Signs It's Time to Update Your Environmental Compliance Program

Here’s Why a Full Environmental Program Just Makes Sense

If you’re still trying to manage environmental compliance off the side of someone’s desk, it’s only a matter of time before something slips. A full environmental program gives you structure, accountability, and a team of specialists, without the cost or complexity of hiring in-house.

Whether you’ve had close calls, you’re expanding operations, or you’re just tired of reactive compliance, this program is designed to give you peace of mind and a system that actually works.

If that sounds like something you're interested in getting started on, or you'd just like to learn a little more about whether it might be the right fit for you, reach out here to chat with us about what a full environmental program could look like for your business!