Environmental Regulations for Small Businesses

An article by Cecilia Camps    No Comments

“Green” is a powerful word nowadays, one that unfortunately gets used without much thought. In an age where people flock towards environmentally-responsible products, many opportunistic entrepreneurs have hopped on the green bandwagon.

But did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency has guidelines for businesses in all industries? Every business produces waste, but some use substances that require special handling. Here is a list of the major environmental laws that impact small businesses.

• The Toxic Substances Control Act gives EPA the right to require reporting and records relating to chemical substances. This particular act excludes food, pesticides, cosmetics, and drugs, since they are regulated by other agencies.
• The Pollution Prevention Act was passed in 1990 for the purpose of not only reducing pollution, but also to reduce the costs of handling this pollution. According to this act, pollution must be stopped or diminished at the source, recycled, or treated in a safe manner. Releasing waste/pollution into the environment should be done as a last resort.
• The Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act has four parts, and was created to protect the community against chemical hazards and emergencies. In order to effectively carry out this act, Congress requires each state to appoint a State Emergency Response Commission, and Local Emergency Planning Committee for each state’s Emergency Planning District.
• Resource Conservation and Recovery Act: Regulates waste handling and disposal. Unlike the Pollution Prevention Act, the RCRA aims to reduce the amount of solid hazardous waste generated by large and small companies. As per this act, the EPA has the authority to control hazardous waste from its generation to its disposal, including treatment, transportation, and storage.

How do you know if waste is hazardous? Authorities check corrosivity, ignitability, reactivity, and toxicity. Some of the most common types of hazardous waste include zinc and lead compounds, hydrochloric acid, and nitrate compounds.

The EPA has a plain English guide for small businesses so they can check if they produce hazardous waste, and also explains how to get started in reducing said waste.

*Photo courtesy of frankpierson