August 19, 2005—The UK’s Environment Agency published its annual “Spotlight” report July 28 highlighting the best and worst environmental performers in the UK business world. The report points out that although businesses are beginning to realize good environmental performance can improve profits and reputations, there is still room for improvement.
The report includes all companies that were fined more than 10,000 for environmental offenses during 2004. The EA points out that so far in 2005, the number of pollution incidents and prosecutions has decreased.
Some of the key findings:
- The most frequently offending companies are the water companies.
- The illegal dumping of waste is a key concern for the EA.
- Financial penalties are still the most widely used sanction by the courts, although the EA was disappointed to find that average fines have fallen in the last year.
Regulation by the EA continues to get results. The report shows that on sites and industries regulated by the Environment Agency:
- Greenhouse gas emissions have gone down for the first time in five years;
- Business and industry are recovering more than half of the amount of waste they produce—the highest level since records began in 1998;
- Hazardous waste recovery is at its highest recorded level, 37 percent, while production is at its lowest; and
- One in five sites have improved their environmental management performance.
Details about the report “Spotlight on business: environmental performance in 2004“
