Businesses have to deal with the environment. The Establishments and activities Decree BES (IAB BES) and the Ministrial regulation establishments and activities BES (RIA BES) lays down environmental rules for all businesses in the Caribbean Netherlands.

Construction

For construction, installation and contracting companies, environmental rules of the Establishments and activities Decree BES (IAB BES) apply.

On this page

Explanation of the activity

When building, repairing and maintaining homes or installation work on homes  the environment may be polluted. For example, when storing substances hazardous to soil such as oil and paint, the use of hazardous substances and when storing and disposing of waste.

Where to find the rules

The rules for construction, installation and contracting companies are set out in Chapter 2 of the Regulation on Establishments and Activities BES (RIA BES).

Notification

For this activity, you must notify the Executive Council no later than 4 weeks before the establishment or change of the company. In the event of a change, a notification is only necessary if a derogation arises from previously provided data. More information about notification can be found on the page Notification.

What rules apply

Waste

Waste must be stored separately within the company. These are paper and cardboard, plastic, aluminium and glass. The waste must be disposed of as often as necessary by an authorised collector.

Waste water

Waste water must be discharged to a sewer or waste water treatment system such as a septic tank.

Soil

Substances hazardous to soil, such as oil, coatings and thinners, can cause serious pollution to the soil. Leakage and improper storage of these liquids must therefore be prevented.  By storing Substances hazardous to soil in proper packaging above or in a drip tray, contamination to the soil is prevented. If liquids have spilled on the soil, they should be cleaned up immediately. It is important to have sufficient absorbents available for this.

Dangerous substances

For the storage of packaged hazardous substances and the storage of carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances (CMR substances), rules are laid down in Article 2.9.2 of the Regulation Establishments and Activities BES. These substances must be stored in a storage facility. A storage facility is a fixed space designed as a fire compartment with an area of up to 1,000 m2. Furthermore, the WBDBO (Dutch acronym) between a storage facility and another room must be at least 60 minutes in both directions. WBDBO means: Resistance to fire throughput (WBD) and Resistance to fire throughput (WBO) in minutes.

Checklist

  • Are soil-threatening liquids safely stored in or above a drip tray?
  • Are there sufficient absorbents?
  • Are packaged hazardous substances safely stored?
  • Is paper and cardboard, plastic, aluminium and glass stored separately in the company and presented separately to an authorised collector?

Share this