Members of the Construction Employers Federation (CEF) can now avail of a new Environmental Law Register which is officially launched today.

The register which provides a list of Northern Ireland environmental legislation applicable to the construction industry.

John Armstrong, Managing Director of CEF, said: “We are delighted to provide our members with this free service which promotes good environmental practice. The impact we all have on our environment is well documented, construction firms are no different.

"The register will help our members comply with Northern Ireland regulations and minimise their environmental impact, as well as save money through a reduction in waste and improve their public image and appeal to clients.”

The CEF Register acts as a useful starting point or as a checklist to ensure firms operating an environmental management system, such as ISO 14001 or BS 8555, have an up to date register of environmental law affecting them. It is in an appropriate format suitable for these systems.

The Federation’s register complements ‘Netregs’ which is managed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. Netregs can be used to obtain further detail and guidance to help firms comply with Environmental Legislation.

The register has been prepared for the CEF by Carson McDowell solicitors.

Andrew Ryan, Environment Lawyer at Carson McDowell who compiled the register said: "As Environmental Law specialists we were delighted to be asked by the CEF to compile an easy to access Environmental Law Register for their members.

"There is a lot of Environmental Legislation out there and the aim of having the Register available for construction companies is to make the process of finding and adhering to relevant legislation much easier. We hope CEF members will find it useful."

The partnership between the CEF and Carson McDowell also has also resulted in the provision of the Legal Hotline which provides members with up to half an hour of free advice on a wide range of topics including environmental regulations. The dedicated CEF Legal Hotline is available on 028 9034 8800.

More information see www.cefni.co.uk