Environmental crimes can quickly get your company into trouble. As an individual owner of a company that has to manage its air emissions and other environmental impacts, it’s important for you to know what you can or cannot do.
If you do happen to make a mistake, it’s possible that your company could be in violation of one or more laws, such as the Clean Water Act or the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Fortunately, knowing the common crimes can help you avoid them.
What are 3 common environmental crimes?
Some of the most common environmental crimes include:
- Emitting toxic pollutants into the air
- Illegal handling, disposal or transportation of hazardous waste and pesticides
- Contamination of drinking water
Fortunately, there are local, state and federal guidelines to tell you more about the expectations the government has for your business.
Who investigates environmental crimes?
Environmental crimes are normally investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division. This agency doesn’t investigate all environmental crimes, though. Another agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, investigates animal-related crimes, such as the commercial exploitation of any protected species.
What should you do if you’re accused of committing an environmental crime?
The first thing to do is to review any notices or information about the alleged violations you’ve committed. If there is a violation, such as failing to get a permit to discharge pollutants, then that permit is something that your company should look into getting as soon as possible. Additionally, you’ll want to get to know your legal options, because there is a chance that the EPA could choose to pursue a charge against your company for violating the laws.
Any time you plan to dump waste, water or pollutants into the water or your surroundings, it’s important to know that you are doing so in a legal manner. If you are not clear about how to eliminate toxins in the workplace or where you can or cannot dump pollutants, make sure to learn more about local, state and federal laws before you do so.