September 28, 2012

The State Government is seeking feedback on options to further cut “greentape” for small businesses.

Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the proposed changes would assist motor vehicle workshops, boilermakers, small-scale manufacturers and metal works as well as removing some regulations for the agriculture sector.

Farming businesses that could be affected are feedlots with 50-150 cattle and piggeries with between 21-400 “pig units”.

“We are proposing amendments to Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 to further reduce the burden of regulation on our small to medium-sized businesses,” Mr Powell said.

These include deleting what the State Government has described as “low risk” environmentally relevant activities, which could benefit close to 10,000 businesses now operating with environmental licenses.

“There is the potential to provide savings of up to $6.77 million to businesses in annual fees alone,” Mr Powell said.

“This is on top of reducing start-up costs for new businesses and reducing ongoing licence administration costs.”

Mr Powell said the government wanted to build on the amendments made in the Greentape Reduction Act introduced on July 31, 2012.

“None of these options will hurt the environment as everyone still has to meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act,” he said.

“We are looking at implementing a risk-based approach which will more freely allow businesses to carry out standard activities that pose little environmental risk, as part of their day to day operations.

“What we’re doing is responding to businesses who have said time and again that they are sick of being tied up with green tape, administration costs and annual fees.

“By streamlining these regulations we can assist business and free up our own resources which can be better directed to actually protecting the environment through compliance and enforcement.”

Consultation will be carried out over the next month and submissions can be made until October 26.

Business and the public can comment on proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection Regulation 2008 and find out more information about greentape reduction by visiting the EHP website.