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Judith Earley

Guide to EPA Compliance Help for Small Business

The best strategies focus on developing a culture of safety

By Judith Earley

Compliance with EPA environmental laws helps to protect both the health of your employees and the health of the environment through regulatory and non-regulatory means. As a small business owner, you may have limited resources to devote to environmental compliance. However by setting an example and working closely with your employees, your EPA compliant business can benefit by:
  1. Protecting employees' health and safety
  2. Preserving natural resources
  3. Reducing liability and the potential for violations or penalties
  4. Saving money through pollution prevention

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done


Research environmental laws and regulation

Find out exactly which environmental laws and regulations relate to your business and your industry.
I recommend: Locate compliance and enforcement documents and publications at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Website.

Conduct an environmental audit

You can evaluate your own business compliance using standard environmental guidelines.
I recommend: EPA's Auditing Protocols provide detailed regulatory checklists that you can customize to meet your specific needs.

Analyze the Economic Aspects of Enforcement Actions

Know what non-compliance could mean to you ahead of time in terms of the expense of compliance, cleanup costs or civil penalties.
I recommend: Download EPA's modeling software to analyze the financial aspects of enforcement actions.. Also, Image Wave sells environmental health and safety tracking software and offers a free demo.

Make a plan for ongoing compliance

It is important to understand when and how your business could be inspected. It will help you to create a realistic time frame for compliance if you know the types of inspections and whom to contact if you have a concern.
I recommend: Check out this report from Business & Legal Reports on preparing for an EPA inspection.

Familiarize Yourself With Major Environmental Laws

Understand how what you do today affects the environment tomorrow.
I recommend: If you subscribe to Managerial Technologies Corp., you will have access to U.S. environmental laws for every state through their Internet Information Library. The Environmental Law Institute provides advice, publications and training courses in environmental law.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

  • Use accidents as a way to uncover systematic breakdowns that may need to be corrected.
  • Integrate safety activities into your business safety system instead of announcing them as a new priority that may come across as a managerial whim.
  • Encourage workers to improve their safety performance; watch for improvements and recognize them publicly.
  • Get employees involved in safety decision making instead of dictating new policies they may resent.
  • Don't look at accident investigations as fault-finding missions. Work with your employees instead of singling out someone to blame.

The official source of EPA Compliance Help for Small Business is
the Environmental Compliance page at Business.com

Environmental Protection Agency Resources
Find Environmental Protection Agency Resources. Search listings and reviews of retailers, specialists and services in your local area now.
JustClickLocal.com

Recommended Solution Providers

Energy Star: Environmental Compliance
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency resource program promoting energy efficient products and practices.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Efficiency
Promotes energy efficient energy practices and polices for business owners.

Image Wave
Software to help with EPA compliance.

Business Legal Reports (BLR)
Helps prepare for EPA inspections.

Environmental Law Institute
Provides information services, advice, publications, training courses, seminars, research programs and policy recommendations.

Best Sites to Learn More

EPA: Small Business Compliance and Enforcement
Range of resources for small businesses regarding environmental compliance and applicable policies.

Environmental Protection Agency: Small Business Gateway
Official gateway to environmental information and contacts for small businesses.

Small Business Enviroweb: Environmental Compliance
Resource center containing facts, advice, and policy information for small businesses.

Compliance Assistance Center: Environmental
Library containing environmental compliance resources regarding specific industries.

AllBusiness: Environmental and Health Regulations
Series of articles regarding EPA and OSHA regulations for businesses.

BizJournals: Environmental Articles
Keep up-to-date on environmental issues nationwide.

US Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Educational Programs
Find educational programs that provide information about the environment in your area.

Best Blogs and Forums

Topix.com: Environmental Law
Environmental and business issues involving governmental agencies such as the EPA and OSHA.

EcoPledge: Environmental Blog
Discourse and advocacy of environmental-friendly business practices for clean air, energy, pure water, food, toxics, and wilderness.



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