Business pollution responsibilities and regulation

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Your responsibilities

If you run a business, you’re responsible for keeping any pollution from your business activities under control. 

Ventilation and cooling systems 

If you have a ventilation and cooling system, you must service it regularly. It may pose a major health risk if it's installed or maintained wrong. 

You must register wet cooling systems with Environmental Protection. We can then check your premises and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. 

Contact the Environmental Protection team, by: 

Email: pollution-regulation@royalgreenwich.gov.uk 

Telephone: 020 8921 8921 or 020 8921 8166 

Complaints about smoke, gas, dust or smells from your business 

Known as statutory nuisances, these can affect people’s use or enjoyment of places nearby. We investigate all statutory nuisance complaints. 

If we can justify a complaint, we'll issue an abatement notice to the person responsible. This means you must reduce the emissions to an acceptable level. 

Failure to follow an abatement notice is an offence and may lead to legal action. 

Read the environmental health and trading standards enforcement policy

We are not allowed by law to deal with complaints of smells from domestic properties. 

Report a noise, smell, pollution or pest problem.