According to research carried out for NetRegs, a joint initiative between a number of environment agencies and the Small Business Service, there is a widespread lack of environmental awareness amongst small firms.

Small businesses generate about 60% of the nation’s commercial waste and are responsible for as much as 80% of pollution incidents, contributing to poor air quality and contamination of land and water. But the majority of those surveyed – 86% – did not think their activities were harmful to the environment.

NegRegs believes that many small businesses have a ‘head in the sand’ attitude when it comes to their legal environmental responsibilities.

The website, which is free to access, outlines the key environmental legislation that affects small businesses, and offers a practical guide on how your business can comply with the law and prevent any accidental pollution incidents.

“The results of the NetRegs survey make stark reading. They show that the smallest businesses have a poor awareness of their environmental obligations. The site is not, however, a ‘one size fits all’ solution to the problem of environment non-compliance, although it does contain general advice which is relevant to most companies,” says Sir John Harman, chairman of the Environment Agency.

NetRegs is also planning to include sector-specific guidelines covering the activities of most business sectors.

For more information on the service, go to here