Fortunately, the need to conserve precious resources and reduce our impact on the environment is now widely accepted. Although recycling and reuse plays an important part in reducing the amount of waste disposed, avoiding waste in the first place should be the primary goal.

Small businesses often believe they can do little to help in terms of the global picture. SMEs can be assured that waste minimisation need not be expensive, or time-consuming.

Simple measures, diligently applied, can have a real impact on economic and environmental performance.

For example, sharing environmental initiatives with others engaged in the same trade or locality can be a viable proposition.

Water reduction measures typically save 20-50% in water-related costs, and many companies are unaware that they are, in effect, paying twice for their water.

This is because in addition to charges for the amount of water used, they are also billed according to the volume and concentration of wastewater they discharge. Cutting water consumption can therefore reduce both the effluent charge and the overall water bill.

Legislative measures also play a part in encouraging waste minimisation. Linked with enforcement actions and possible financial penalties for noncompliance, one or more of the following key pieces of waste-related legislation cover most companies, regardless of their size:

the EEC Waste Directive EEC/75/442 & 91/156;

the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive EEC94/62;

the Landfill Directive 1993/31/EC;

the Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EEC;

the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Parts I & II); and the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) and Local Air Pollution Control (LAPC) regimes.

Many SMEs already recognise the environment as a key management issue. Cost-effective waste minimisation is an investment with real potential to increase profits and improve our environment.

www.envirowise.gov.uk.