Guidance on environmental legislation

Useful published guidance on current environmental legislation

A guide to improving environmental performance in business

As part of the Galway Waste Prevention Programme a booklet aimed at providing businesses with information on how to implement good environmental practices was produced.

Downloads

• Changing Behaviour – saving resources: a guide to improving environmental performance in business

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Guidance on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depleting Substances

A series of Guidance Documents has been prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency to provide clarification and assistance to contractors and end-users of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment on how the legislation applies to them. These guidance documents cover requirements of both the Regulation on ozone depleting substances and fluorinated greenhouse gases. The following guidance documents are available to download below:

• Refrigeration and air conditioning contractors
• Retail (food and non-food) sector
• Offices and public buildings
• Industrial sectors
• Hospitality and leisure sector

Downloads

• Guidance Note for Contractors in the Refrigeration, Air-conditioning and Heat Pump Sector
• Guidance Note for operators in the Hospitality and Leisure Sector
• Guidance Note for operators in the Industrial Sector
• Guidance Note for operators in the Office and Public Buildings Sector
• Guidance Note for operators in the Retail Sector

These Guidance Notes are hosted on the Environmental Protection Agency website.

The European Commission has produced a number of publications aimed at providing clarification on the implementation of the Regulation on fluorinated greenhouse gases.

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Guidance on Farming and the Environment

For many decades farmers have been at the forefront of sustainable resource use. Reusing and recycling products such as tyres and plastic drums has been an accepted farming practice long before it became popular in the wider community. Now that topics such as climate change, sustainability, carbon footprints, offsetting, landfi lls and leaner production are becoming increasingly important in the wider community the farming community needs to reassess how they can operate to the highest environmental standards. Monaghan County Council has published a booklet to help.

Downloads

• Guidance booklet for farmers (PDF format, 3.25MB)

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Guidance on Minimising Food Waste in the Catering Sector

Food waste is one of the biggest problems in the Western world. In Ireland, we throw out almost 1 million tonnes of organic waste each year. Through better management in purchasing, storage, cooking and serving a lot of this could be avoided. The Clean Technoogy Centre has published a booklet that demonstrates ways of reducing food waste arising from the catering sector.

Downloads

• Guidance booklet for the catering sector (PDF format, 4.25MB)

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Guidance for garages

The Clean Technology Centre has published a booklet aimed at the promotion of best practice in Irish garages. It outlines the different ways you can save money through small changes in the way you do your day to day work. By following the recommendations in the booklet, garages can save money, make a safer environment for people to work in, satisfy the environmental laws that apply to Irish garages and reduce the environmental impacts of your business.

Downloads

• Guidance booklet for garages (PDF format, 3MB)

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Guidance for publicans

The Vintners' Federation of Ireland, in association with Monaghan County Council and the EPA, has produced a publican's handbook to a leaner, greener cost base. The handbook explains how to save money by conserving water, saving energy and preventing waste. Typically, environmental costs can be 10 per cent of turnover or €20,000 per annum for the average pub. The handbook shows how to implement an environmental management programme in a pub no matter how big or small and in the process, to significantly reduce costs.

Downloads

• Guidance booklet for publicans (PDF format, 850kb)

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New Integrated Prevention Programme

The New Integrated Prevention Programme is a co-ordinated programme of waste prevention initiatives undertaken in the Limerick Clare Kerry waste management region. This initiative which commenced in July 2006 was granted 75% funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Waste Prevention Programme.  The Programme has published the following guidance:

• e-Guide on 7 steps to waste prevention

The programme has also produced a series of initatives:

• Paper Prevention
• Effective Construction Waste Management
• Effective Waste Management in Urban Developments
• Effective Management of Shopping Centre Waste
• Developing an Action Programme for a Regional Airport

Read more about these initatives from the New Integrated Prevention Programme

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Guide to healthcare waste management

The UK Government has produced a manual on healthcare wastes. It has been produced as a best practice guide to the management of healthcare waste. The key changes from the previous edition include:

• an update to statutory requirements
• a focus on the waste hierarchy through procurement practices
• a drive to address the carbon impact related to waste
• the integration of new sector guides on GPs, dental practices, and community pharmacies
• an emphasis on practical advice through case study examples (in particular on offensive waste streams), and more by way of staff training material
• a review of terminology used for healthcare, clinical and non-clinical wastes.

Downloads

• Guidance document for healthcare professionals (PDF format, 3.6MB)

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Organising an event?

How to make your event a green one

Fáilte Ireland have published two guides for events, meeting and festival organisers in Ireland:

• If you are a conference organisers, venues (including hotels), accommodation providers, catering companies, entertainment/activity providers, audio visual/IT companies, and transport providers this guide will allow you to start or continue on the road to planning and running a green meeting or event. Download 'A Guide to Running Green Meetings and Events'
• Every year, nearly 700 events occur across Ireland. This guide provides advice on environmental good practice for festivals and cultural events, and is useful for organisers of festivals and events of all sizes and descriptions. Download 'How to make your event a green one' guide

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