News from CSSA
How well do you know your environmental management obligations? Did you know for example that it is illegal to empty a bucket of used cleaning solution into a surface water drainage system? More to the point, how would you know if one of your cleaners had done this?
Watercourse pollution is taken very seriously by the Environment Agency. In 2006 a cleaning company was fined £40,000 with £33,000 costs for a single incident that severely damaged a watercourse.
The CSSA recognises that the environmental issues can be intimidating to businesses that are not familiar with them and we have developed a training structure to help guide firms through the issues.
Since April 2006, White Young Green Environmental (WYGE), together with the CSSA have been delivering a programme of environmental management support to CSSA member firms. This funding has been renewed for the April 2007-8 period, which will allow a further 16 CSSA members to be given this support.
The project aims to improve standards of environmental management by supporting companies through the implementation of an environmental management system using the flexible BS 8555 approach.
CSSA members are delighted with how the project has progressed in year one. WYGE and the CSSA are looking for a further 16 cleaning and support service companies to participate in the one year programme, starting in April 2007. A number of firms have already signed up, but a few places remain.
There are no restrictions on which businesses can participate, except that they must be cleaning sector firms based in England. If you are interested, contact Andrew Large at the CSSA on 0207 920 9632 or alarge@cleaningassoc.org.
