ISME, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association, released the results of its ‘SMEs and CSR’ survey which assessed the level of SME engagement in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in 2015. The Association found that all respondents were active in CSR, despite the fact that only 54% were aware that their activities could be classified...

The EPA have presented advice on who to contact and what to do when you identify an environmental problem. Who to Contact In many cases, it will be possible to resolve an environmental problem by contacting the person or business that you think is causing the problem directly. If you do contact the person or...

Major industrial accidents involving dangerous substances pose a significant threat to humans and the environment; such accidents can give rise to serious injury to people or serious damage to the environment, both on and off the site of the accident. In Europe, a catastrophic accident in the Italian town of Seveso in 1976 prompted the...

The EPA has published an updated waste classification list and information aimed at assisting you to determine whether or not you waste is hazardous. The waste classification system applies across the EU and is the basis for all national and international waste reporting obligations. The EPA reference document is split into two to accommodate users; the full listing is...

The OECD eChemPortal offers comprehensive information on chemical substances and has been updated to offer better access to chemical classifications according to the Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). This tool can be used for finding information on hazard identification to support health and environment decisions concerning chemicals. eChemPortal users can simultaneously search for...

In January 2015, ECHA published its REACH registration 2018 Roadmap, which splits the registration into seven phases, and describes the milestones of each phase and support activities that ECHA plans to give to the registrants. All chemical substances produced or imported in the European Economic Area between 1 and 100 tonnes a year need to...

Submissions and comments are invited on the Significant Water Management Issues in Ireland for the Development of the Second Cycle River Basin Management. The Water Framework Directive was adopted in 2000 and requires member States to manage their water resources on an integrated basis in order to achieve at least ‘good’ ecological status. The first cycle...

The EPA Research Programme has been allocated funding of approximately €2.54m for new commitments in Water research. The overall aim of the water pillar is to support relevant water policy and to protect our water environment, contributing to achieving excellent water quality in Ireland. The EPA Research Water Pillar deals with groundwater, surface water, transitional...

The Sustainability Pillar of the EPA Research Programme has been allocated funding of approximately €2.75m for new commitments in the 2015 Research Call. The Sustainability Research Call 2015 was opened on 10 June 2015. The overall aim of the Sustainability pillar of the EPA’s Research Programme 2014-2020 is designed to identify pressures, inform policy and...

Green Enterprise provides grant aid to demonstration type projects across all sectors of economic activity in Ireland and is open to proposals from companies, institutions and public bodies. For 2015, the maximum amount of funding available is €60,000 per company/organisation. Grant aid is provided up to a maximum limit of 75% of the total eligible...