Greener Now helping to prevent pollution
Pollution is the introduction of pollutants (whether chemical substances, or energy such as noise, heat, or light) into the environment to such a point that its effects become harmful or even fatal to human health, other living organisms, or the environment causing global warming.
Key causes of pollution include:
- Burning of fossil fuels and other materials giving off dust, smoke and fumes
- Oil spills
- Accidental release of raw sewage
- Poor waste management
- Chemicals, salt, wash waters, waste products, trade effluents, slurry and fuels entering the soil, surface water or ground water
- Excessive noise, heat or vibration generated by your business' activities
- Emissions from transport
Complying with pollution legislation
You are responsible for the impact your business has on the environment. So if your business is involved in certain specified activities you may have to obtain permission from your environmental regulator under Integrated Pollution Control (IPC) or Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) legislation.
If your business has less potential to pollute then you are regulated for emissions to air only under the local air pollution prevention and control (LAPPC) system.
For more information on legislations and regulations regarding pollution and your business use our waste link directory to visit the NetRegs website.
Examples of the different activities include:
- Combustion and incineration
- Metal manufacture
- Certain activities involving asbestos
- Coating activities, printing and textile treatment
- Treatment of animal or vegetable matter
To comply with some legislations and to obtain permission you are required to implement an effective environmental management system (EMS) assessing risks and detailing your plan to use benchmarked best practice techniques.
To help prevent pollution you should purchase green office supplies. Products made from recycled content use less original materials and generally require less energy inputs, resulting in less pollution and less resource extraction.
Beyond buying green, it's important to reduce your office’s carbon footprint by saving energy and using carbon offsetting to increase sustainability.
To join Greener Now click on the link.
