THE Environment Agency has launched a booklet and video to help small and medium sized enterprises ensure their sites do not harm the environment.

The Pollution Prevention Pays - Getting Your Site Right booklet, posters and video aim to help SMEs reduce the pollution risk.

They include sections about site drainage, deliveries and material handling, storage, waste management, trade effluent, groundwater protection, training and emergencies.

The launch follows a survey by NetRegs, the online service provided by the Environment Agency to help businesses understand their environmental obligations, that found the majority of SMEs have yet to introduce any practical measures to limit their environmental impact.

Teresa Brown, a technical adviser for pollution prevention and waste minimalisation at the Environment Agency, said it was estimated that SMEs generated about 60 per cent of commercial waste and as many as 80 per cent of the pollution incidents.

Pollution Prevention Pays is available at www.environ

ment-agency.gov.uk or by phoning 08457 33 77 00.